Singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, has been taken into custody by Los Angeles police in connection with the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was discovered in the trunk of his Tesla last September.
Law enforcement officials announced the 21-year-old artist's arrest on April 16, following a months-long investigation into the teenager's death. He is currently being held without bail while prosecutors review the case for potential charges.
"Let us be clear," D4vd's legal team stated to the Los Angeles Times, "the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death."
Authorities first became involved when they responded to reports of a foul odor emanating from an abandoned vehicle at a Hollywood tow yard on September 8. The Tesla, registered to D4vd's Texas address, contained the remains of Rivas Hernandez, who had been reported missing from her Lake Elsinore home in April 2024.
The medical examiner's office noted the body was severely decomposed, preventing an immediate determination of the exact cause or time of death. However, police indicated she had likely been deceased for several weeks before discovery.
Rivas Hernandez was laid to rest on October 6, just weeks after what would have been her 15th birthday. Following the identification of her remains in mid-September, D4vd's representatives stated he was cooperating fully with investigators.
Court documents obtained earlier this year revealed prosecutors had identified D4vd as a "target" in a grand jury investigation, with potential charges including one count of murder. The case is scheduled for review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on April 20.