R&B singer D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, has been arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of killing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose severely decomposed body was found in his Tesla, police said on Thursday.
The 21-year-old musician is being held without bail. In September, LAPD detectives discovered the dismembered body in an impounded car registered to Burke at a tow yard in Hollywood. The vehicle had been towed from the Hollywood Hills after appearing abandoned. The body was later identified as Celeste, who had been reported missing in 2024 and was last seen in Lake Elsinore, about 60 miles south-east of downtown Los Angeles.
Los Angeles’s medical examiner determined Celeste had been deceased in the vehicle for an extended period. Burke’s case will be presented to the district attorney’s office on Monday. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office acknowledged the arrest and said prosecutors will review the evidence to determine if charges should be filed.
Burke was facing a grand jury investigation related to Celeste’s death. In September, a spokesperson said he was cooperating with authorities. Police obtained a search warrant for a home Burke had been staying at in Hollywood Hills, taking a computer and other items. His legal team maintains his innocence, stating no indictment has been returned and no criminal complaint filed.
Burke, raised in Houston, became a breakout star in 2022 with viral TikTok hits including 'Romantic Homicide,' which has faced renewed scrutiny over its lyrics about death. He collaborated with SZA and Kali Uchis. When Celeste’s body was discovered, Burke was on tour, which was later cancelled. Celeste’s brother said she was on her way to watch a movie with Burke before going missing.
