An industrial-strength incinerator, capable of reaching temperatures high enough to cremate a human body, has been discovered at a Hollywood Hills rental property linked to musical artist D4vd. The find comes as the 20-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is considered a suspect in the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Gruesome Discovery and a Sinister Find
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found decomposing in the boot of D4vd's impounded Tesla on September 8, just one day after her 15th birthday. The singer was on a national tour at the time. Nine days later, on September 17, homicide detectives raided the $4.1 million rental home in the Hollywood Hills where Burke had been staying, seizing what were described as 'several items of evidence'.
The homeowner, Mladen Trifunovic, later hired private investigator Steve Fischer to look into whether the missing teenager had ever been at the property. Fischer's investigation took a startling turn with the discovery of a so-called 'burn cage' incinerator. The device, which can reach 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, was delivered to the rented home under a false name and accepted at the address.
Questions Over Intent and Legitimacy
Fischer publicly questioned the presence of such equipment at a luxury residential property. "Given that Celeste Rivas Hernandez's remains were ultimately found in the Tesla [boot], the presence of an incinerator at the same residence associated with that vehicle necessarily raises questions about intent," he stated on X (formerly Twitter).
He dismissed suggestions the incinerator could have been a prop for a music video, posing a series of pointed questions. "Why would a 55-pound burn cage be delivered to a private residence instead of directly to a prop designer or production house? Why would it be ordered before departing on an extended world tour? And why was it never used in any video production?" Fischer argued. He added that using an incinerator within Los Angeles city limits is illegal and it serves no legitimate domestic purpose.
Ongoing Investigation and Legal Secrecy
While Burke has been named a suspect by authorities, he has not been formally charged with any crime. The case has been shrouded in unusual secrecy. The Los Angeles Police Department obtained a court order preventing the County Medical Examiner from releasing any details of Celeste's autopsy, and her case was removed from the office's public website.
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo criticised the order in a statement, saying such "security holds" are virtually unheard of in other counties and hinder transparency. Meanwhile, the singer's manager, Josh Marshall, who signed the lease for the rental in February 2024—the same month Celeste was reported missing—has moved to terminate the agreement following the police raid.
The investigation continues, with the manager of Burke's record label, Robert Morgenroth, reportedly spending a full day testifying before a Los Angeles grand jury about the teenager's death.
