Police arrest US singer D4vd over missing 14-year-old’s death
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- US singer and TikTok personality D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, has been arrested on suspicion of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
- The teenager's remains were discovered in a vehicle linked to the singer in September 2025.
- Authorities are forwarding the case to the District Attorney's office as investigations continue into the death.
Los Angeles police have arrested 21-year-old US singer David Anthony Burke, known by his stage name D4vd, in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The grim discovery of the teenager's remains, including her decomposed head and torso, was made in September 2025 inside a cadaver bag in the front compartment of a Tesla registered to an address associated with the singer in Texas.
Burke was arrested “for the murder of Celeste Rivas,” following months of investigation that began after the girl’s remains were found on September 8, 2025 in a vehicle linked to him.
The investigation, which began after reports of a foul odor from the towed vehicle, has been ongoing for months. Authorities were alerted to the car after it was towed to a Hollywood yard. Court documents reveal the severity of the remains, indicating the victim may have been deceased for several weeks. While the official cause of death is pending, the case has been treated as a homicide, with a grand jury in Los Angeles hearing evidence since December.
The decomposed head and torso of the teenager inside a cadaver bag in the front compartment of the car, which was registered to an address associated with the singer in Texas.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing by her family in April 2024. Her disappearance had previously drawn attention, but the discovery of her remains intensified the investigation, leading to Burke's identification as a suspect. The arrest marks a significant development in the case, which has garnered widespread attention online due to the singer's social media fame. Burke, who rose to prominence with songs like 'Romantic Homicide,' has cancelled his tour and withdrawn from public appearances following the discovery of the body. His representatives have stated he is cooperating with investigators, though he has largely remained silent on the allegations.
the remains were “severely decomposed,” adding that the victim may have been dead for several weeks before the discovery.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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