R&B singer D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, has been arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of killing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in his Tesla in September 2024. The 21-year-old musician is being held without bail, according to Los Angeles police.
Police discovered the severely decomposed remains after responding to reports of a foul odour from an impounded car registered to Burke at a Hollywood tow yard. The vehicle had been towed from the Hollywood Hills after appearing abandoned. The body was later identified as Celeste, who had been reported missing in 2024 and was last seen in Lake Elsinore, about 60 miles south-east of downtown Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office determined that Celeste had been deceased in the vehicle for an extended period. Burke's case is expected to be presented to the district attorney's office on Monday, with prosecutors reviewing evidence to determine whether to file charges.
Burke's legal team, including Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter, maintains his innocence. In a statement, they said: 'There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.'
Burke, who rose to fame in 2022 through viral TikTok hits including 'Romantic Homicide', had been cooperating with authorities. His tour was cancelled after the discovery. Celeste's brother, Matthew, told NBCLA that before she disappeared, she said she was going to watch a film with Burke. Authorities have not commented on the nature of their relationship.
