In September 2025, the decomposing body of a 14-year-old was found Celeste Rivas Hernandez It was found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to the singer d4vd (real name David Anthony Burke). The car was then impounded in a parking lot in the Hollywood Hills after neighbors reported a foul odor. Authorities identified the remains two days later as those of Rivas Hernandez. The late teenager had been missing since 2024.
Since then, the issue has escalated. d4vd has had its homes searched under a warrant, has canceled its US tour dates, and labels have pulled promotional content amid increasing scrutiny. TMZ She stated that the authorities considered her death a homicide. Sources also told the outlet in November 2025 that investigators “were looking at d4vd as a suspect.”
Five months later, d4vd was arrested in connection with her murder.
Below, we’ve rounded up everything we know so far about Rivas and d4vd’s alleged connection to the Los Angeles Police Department’s investigation.
Who was Celeste Rivas?
Rivas Hernandez was a 14-year-old from Lake Elsinore, California, who was reported missing in 2024 when she was just 13 years old. Her remains were discovered on September 8, 2025, in an impounded Tesla car registered in the name of the singer D4VD.
Initially, authorities struggled to determine her age and race due to the condition of the body, but she was later identified through records and family confirmation.
How long has Celeste Rivas been missing?
Rivas disappeared in April 2024. Since then, she has not been seen until her remains were discovered in the trunk of d4vd’s car.
The body found in the cut-off Tesla registered to singer D4vd has been identified as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, according to officials. https://t.co/yAPc3p8k3F pic.twitter.com/9tSsMTZJO2
— ABC News (@ABC) September 18, 2025
How did Celeste Rivas die? What we know about her death
Rivas Hernandez’s cause of death remains unknown. The Los Angeles County coroner listed the cause of death as “delayed,” noting that autopsy and toxicology results had not yet been completed.
Authorities believe her body may have been in the Tesla for several weeks before it was discovered, making determining the circumstances of her death more difficult. Detectives from the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division are leading the investigation and recently served a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills home linked to d4vd, seizing electronics and computers for review. Despite widespread speculation surrounding the case, police have not identified any suspects, and d4vd has not been officially designated as a person of interest.
How and where was Celeste Rivas found?
Rivas was found dead in the trunk of a Tesla d4vd on September 8, 2025. The car was taken to a tow yard in Los Angeles. The Tesla had been abandoned locally for five days, according to several outlets, though it remains unclear exactly where the car was left before it was towed.
The police were called to examine the car after discovering a foul odor.
How to connect celeste rivas to d4vd
In April 2026, d4vd was arrested in connection with Rivas’ death.
Rivas and d4vd had matching tattoos on their right index fingers that read “Shhh,” according to multiple outlets. Plus, Rivas’ mother said TMZ That her late daughter had a boyfriend named David before she disappeared in 2024. As previously mentioned, d4vd’s real name is David.
