Singer-songwriter d4vd has become the focus of a homicide investigation after 15-year-old Celeste Rivas’ decomposed body was found in the front trunk of his Tesla in September. Multiple Los Angeles police department sources told NBC4 Investigates that d4vd, born David Anthony Burke, is a suspect as detectives examine how Rivas ended up dead in his vehicle after months of her being missing.
Authorities said Rivas likely died in the spring, months before her remains were found on Sept. 8 at a Hollywood tow yard. Workers at the tow yard noticed an overwhelming odor coming from the impounded Tesla, which led officers to open the front trunk and discover human remains sealed in a bag. A medical examiner confirmed the body as Rivas and noted she “appears to have been deceased inside the vehicle for an extended period of time before being found.” Her official cause of death remains pending.
Investigators told NBC4 they believe Burke “probably had help dismembering and disposing of the body,” though no additional suspects have been named. According to a source, the singer “has not been cooperative” with the investigation. The Guardian noted that LAPD officials have not responded to requests for comment. Police are treating the death as a homicide, citing the remains’ condition and the timeline so far.
Rivas was first reported missing in April 2024 from Lake Elsinore, about 60 miles from Los Angeles. Her brother told NBC Los Angeles the family knew she was acquainted with Burke, saying, “She was supposed to go see a movie with him,” and explaining she never returned home that night. ABC7 reported Rivas called home once in May but had no further contact afterward.
Residents reported that the Tesla had been parked in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood for over a month before it was towed. The car received a parking violation 11 days before Rivas was found. Police have not confirmed who last used the vehicle or when it was abandoned, but say this information is crucial for reconstructing the timeline.
Burke had been staying with his manager at a property in the Hollywood Hills in September, according to a landlord who spoke with SFGate. Police executed a search warrant at the residence, but the LAPD has not disclosed what was seized. The landlord said both Burke and his manager moved out shortly after the search.
The singer’s representatives have not responded to new inquiries from news outlets following the latest developments. Burke, who has signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, was on tour when the remains were found, but canceled scheduled performances after the discovery.
Images circulated online show Rivas and Burke together, but investigators have not publicly confirmed the nature of their relationship. ABC7 reported the teen’s mother told police that Rivas had a boyfriend named David at the time, adding complexity to the case. Authorities have not clarified whether this detail relates to the musician.
As the LAPD continues its homicide investigation, Rivas’ family is seeking answers and support regarding the teen’s death. Detectives urge anyone with information about the period between her disappearance and the discovery of her remains to come forward to help establish a clearer timeline.
