The dismembered body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 15-year-old girl, was discovered in a Tesla registered to D4vd Romantic Homicide singer David Burke, sparking widespread media attention and ongoing police investigation. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Rivas had been dead for weeks before her remains were found.

Discovery of the Body

On September 8, LAPD officers responded to a call reporting a “foul odor” coming from an impounded Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard. Inside the vehicle’s front trunk, officers found the remains of Rivas, who had been reported missing since April 2024.

Authorities confirmed the identity of the victim days later. LAPD Captain Scot M. William stated, “We know for sure that Celeste Rivas Hernandez died and someone placed her body in the front trunk area of David Burke's [D4vd’s] Tesla.”

Investigation Ongoing

Police believe the Tesla had been parked for weeks before being towed. “It is very likely Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been dead for several weeks prior to her body being discovered,” William said. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet determined a cause of death.

William added, “We don’t know for sure if anyone has any criminal culpability for her death beyond the concealment of her dead body.”

Reports indicate the Tesla had been ticketed 11 days before police located Rivas’s body, raising further questions about how long the car—and her remains—had gone unnoticed.

Personal Ties to D4vd Romantic Homicide Singer

Rivas’s mother told TMZ that she her daughter told her in a phone conversation she was involved with someone named “David,” and noted they had matching tattoos.

Meanwhile many of D4vd's friends and acquaintances thought that he and Rivas were in a relationship.

D4vd has not been named a suspect. The singer canceled the remaining dates of his Withered World Tour in September without explanation.

As FOX 11 Los Angeles reported, police continue to investigate whether there was a deeper connection between Rivas and the 20-year-old artist. “We are looking into everything,” Captain William said.

Authorities ID body found in Tesla linked to singer D4vd as missing teen girl | FOX 11 Los Angeles

D4vd's abandoned Tesla was ticketed 11 days before Celeste Rivas Hernandez's body found inside - Los Angeles Times

Tesla owned by D4vd ticketed 11 days before body of Celeste Rivas was discovered | FOX 11 Los Angeles