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A 2023 Tesla belonging to rising musician David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, is now at the center of a disturbing investigation. D4vd’s Tesla was abandoned on a Hollywood Hills street and ticketed by Los Angeles authorities just 11 days before the decomposing body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found inside the trunk.

According to LA Times, detectives are working to establish how long the car had been parked and when Hernandez’s body was placed inside.

Timeline of Events

• August 27: A parking officer marked the Tesla on Bluebird Avenue, noting the position of its tires.
• September 3: The car received a citation for violating the 72-hour parking rule.
• September 5: The Tesla was impounded and towed to a Hollywood tow yard.
• September 8: A tow yard worker detected a foul odor and alerted police. A warrant was obtained, and inside the trunk officers discovered a black holdall containing Hernandez’s remains.

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Discovery of Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Hernandez, weighing just 71 pounds at the time of discovery, had a distinctive “Shhh” tattoo on her finger. Her body was found a day after her 15th birthday. She grew up in Lake Elsinore, California, and had been reported missing multiple times in 2024, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Her grieving family later held a memorial in Lake Elsinore after her remains were released.

D4vd’s Connection and Career

Police have not accused D4vd of wrongdoing, but detectives confirmed he has been cooperating. Law enforcement sources say investigators seized electronics and computers from his Hollywood rental property near where the Tesla was parked.

Burke, who grew up in Houston, gained fame collaborating with artists such as Kali Uchis, Stray Kids’ Hyunjin, Laufey, and 21 Savage. He also produced an anthem for Fortnite. His debut album, Withered, released in April on Darkroom and Interscope Records, peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and has surpassed 521 million Spotify streams.

Just a day before Hernandez’s body was found, Burke posted on Instagram that he was preparing to drop a deluxe version of Withered.

Investigators Eye Digital Evidence of D4vd’s Tesla 

Former California investigator Jon Buehler, who worked on the high-profile Laci Peterson case, told Banfield that the Tesla itself could hold crucial clues. D4vd's Tesla has at least 4 working cameras and is digitally connected.

“If investigators can determine who the driver was, that individual could lead police to the killer,” Buehler said. “I want the guy who killed the girl. I would be willing to trade somebody who is involved in the cleanup if I could get him to make the case stronger against the actual killer.”