U.S. artist D4vd was taken into custody on suspicion of being involved in the death of a 14-year-old girl, whose decomposed remains were discovered in a Tesla that belonged to him and was found abandoned in the Hollywood Hills last year, as per the police report on Thursday. The 21-year-old alt-pop singer, born in Houston with the legal name David Anthony Burke, is being held without bail by Los Angeles authorities. The police mentioned that a case would be presented to the District Attorney’s Office for potential charges to be considered on Monday.
In response to the allegations, defense lawyers Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter stated via email that the evidence would prove David Burke’s innocence in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed awareness of the arrest and stated that their major crimes division would review the case to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed with charges.
The defense team emphasized that no formal charges have been made, and David Burke is currently detained under suspicion only. This public statement from the lawyers marked their first comments on the case, which had previously been kept under wraps until Burke’s arrest. The investigation had been ongoing by an L.A. County grand jury regarding Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death.
The discovery of Rivas Hernandez’s remains took place on September 8, 2025, a day after what would have been her 15th birthday. Initially reported missing by her family in 2024 from Lake Elsinore, about 112 kilometers southeast of Los Angeles, she was determined to be 14 years old at the time of her death, according to court documents.
Authorities described finding a cadaver bag in the 2023 Tesla Model Y at a tow yard, which emitted a strong odor of decay and was infested with insects. The bag contained a decomposed head and torso, with the limbs found severed in another bag. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the advanced state of decomposition of the body, delaying the determination of the cause of death. The autopsy findings were withheld by court order in November 2025.
D4vd, who was on a U.S. tour when the connection to the case surfaced, proceeded with some performances before eventually canceling the remainder of his concerts and a scheduled European tour. Despite several requests, the singer’s representatives have not issued any statements to the press regarding the ongoing investigation.