D4vd suspected after body found in his Tesla: police investigate

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• How officers found the body at an impound lot
• Details recovered from the scene and what investigators noted
• Victim identification: who investigators say the girl was
• New status for D4vd and ongoing investigative steps
  • What investigators are focusing on now
• Allegations about the manner of death and possible multiple participants
• Timeline of the case and links to D4vd’s activities
• Public statements and next legal steps

A routine impound check in Los Angeles has escalated into a high-profile criminal inquiry after human remains were discovered inside a vehicle linked to rising singer D4vd. What began as a call about a foul odor now has investigators naming the artist as a person of interest as they piece together how a teenage girl’s body ended up in the car.

How officers found the body at an impound lot

On Sept. 8, Los Angeles Police responded to reports of a strong smell coming from an impounded vehicle. The car had been taken into custody a few days earlier, but the odor prompted a follow-up. When officers opened the vehicle, they discovered human remains.

Authorities later tied the car to David Anthony Burke, the Texas-born singer who performs as D4vd. The vehicle was a 2023 Tesla registered to Burke in Hempstead, Texas.

Details recovered from the scene and what investigators noted

Police described the remains as those of a female. Initial public descriptions included her height and hairstyle, but officials did not immediately release age or ethnicity.

• Clothing: a tube top and small black leggings
• Jewelry: a yellow metal stud earring and a yellow metal chain bracelet
• Tattoo: the right index finger bore the word “Shhh…”

LAPD detectives said the body was contained inside the car, and the agency began treating the discovery with urgency.

Victim identification: who investigators say the girl was

Officials later identified the deceased as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. She was reported from Lake Elsinore in Riverside County.

The identification shifted the response from an evidence collection operation to a broader criminal investigation.

New status for D4vd and ongoing investigative steps

Multiple law enforcement sources told media outlets that D4vd has been added to a list of persons of interest. Those sources also say he is not cooperating with investigators.

Being named a person of interest is not an arrest. It signals that detectives view the individual as potentially tied to events under review.

What investigators are focusing on now

• Forensic analysis of the vehicle
• Chain of custody and impound records
• Interviews with anyone who had recent contact with the car
• Autopsy results to establish cause and time of death

Allegations about the manner of death and possible multiple participants

Sources cited by ABC News say investigators believe the teenager’s body was dismembered. Those same sources suggest more than one person may have been involved in the disposal process.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner had not yet released a final cause of death when the initial reports surfaced. Detectives said the autopsy results will be critical to deciding charges and arrest strategy.

Timeline of the case and links to D4vd’s activities

1. Vehicle was impounded days before Sept. 8.
2. Detectives responded to an odor complaint on Sept. 8 and found remains.
3. Authorities identified the victim as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
4. Law enforcement added D4vd to its persons of interest list.
5. D4vd canceled the remainder of his Withered World Tour dates after the identification.

The singer had been performing on the Withered World Tour when the discovery occurred. He completed several shows after the initial find, then announced tour cancellations once the identity of the victim became public.

Public statements and next legal steps

Law enforcement officials, including the LAPD’s Chief of Detectives, emphasized that the investigation is active. They said a determination about homicide charges will follow once more forensic work is complete.

As of the latest reports, D4vd has not issued a public statement about the investigation or the allegations being reported by media outlets.