On Sept. 8, the remains of now identified Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 15, were found inside singer D4vd’s Tesla, according to multiple sources. The dismembered and plastic-wrapped remains were discovered at a Los Angeles impound lot after nearby residents noticed a foul odor. Hernandez’s cause and manner of death are still being investigated by the medical examiner, due to severe decomposition of the remains.
D4vd, a 20-year-old TikTok breakthrough born David Anthony Burke, had a quick career takeoff after opening for SZA and performing at Coachella months before his first album dropped. Burke was on his Withered World Tour promoting his first LP at the time the vehicle was discovered. A source told NBC News that he was cooperating with authorities while they waited for word from the medical examiner. As of Sept. 22, Hernandez’s death is not considered a homicide due to there being no persons of interest.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was reported missing April 5, 2024, 18 months before her body was discovered, her mother told news outlet TMZ after she contacted them. The medical examiner found a tattoo on her right index finger that said “Shhh…” which was used to identify her body by her mother. Recent photos of Burke appear to show a matching tattoo. Burke and Hernandez are not the only people to have this tattoo, as it was popularized in 2008 by Rihanna.
Burke’s Los Angeles home was thoroughly searched by the LAPD until Wednesday, Sept. 17. A source told reporters that the police were searching for anything that resembled “blood evidence.”
Social media users have been leading unofficial investigations of their own. Fans and internet sleuths have shed light on what they believe as evidence that Burke groomed Hernandez. In an old live stream clip, Burke is seen with what appeared to be Hernandez attempting to take her out of the camera’s view. A former teacher of Celeste was seen in a video showing his students a photo of Hernandez in his classroom. In the video, the unnamed teacher alleged that while he taught her, Hernandez met someone on social media who “was a rapper in LA” and helped her run away from home. The teacher then goes on to explain how authorities found her a month later and brought her back to Lake Elsinore, southeast of LA. He further alleged that Hernandez told her peers before she disappeared again. Authorities have not commented on the video at the time of Sept. 22.
An unreleased song of Burke’s, titled “Celeste” was also discovered and erupted on social media. Multiple old comments have resurfaced accusing Burke of talking to minors and sexually assaulting them. Celeste’s mother claims that her daughter met someone online in 2021 named David. Celeste was 11 while David was 16. Watchers of this case have also brought up the “evidence” of recurring Hello Kitty merch. According to the missing persons report from 2024, Celeste was last seen wearing her Hello Kitty crocs. An old TikTok of Burke’s resurfaced with the caption “when your card declines in therapy and they bring in that one hello kitty girl you met in 2021.”
The last two remaining dates in Burke’s U.S. tour and multiple stops in his upcoming European tour have been removed from ticketing websites and marked as canceled on Ticketmaster. Popular brands, such as Hollister and Crocs, noticeably removed Burke from new ad campaigns. The firms told Footwear News they were aware of the developing story and with respect to the current investigation, decided to remove the campaign content.
As of Sept. 22, the singer has yet to be arrested or questioned for the death of Celeste.
