The singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has been identified as a suspect in the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, according to Los Angeles police sources. The teenager's decomposed body was discovered in the front trunk of a black Tesla registered to the singer on 8 September 2024.
The vehicle had been ticketed in the Hollywood Hills and impounded at a tow yard, where workers reported a strong odour. Police believe Rivas died in the spring, and that D4vd may have helped dismember and dispose of her body. The singer has not been cooperative with the investigation, an LAPD source said.
Rivas was first reported missing from Lake Elsinore, about 60 miles from Los Angeles, in April 2024. Her brother told local media she knew the singer and was going to see a film with him before she vanished. Although she called home in May 2024, she had not been heard from since. The cause of death remains unknown, but the case is being treated as a homicide.
D4vd, a New York-born singer-songwriter known for hits such as Romantic Homicide and Here With Me, was on tour when Rivas's remains were found. He subsequently cancelled all scheduled appearances. Police have searched a residence in the Hollywood Hills where he and his manager were staying, according to the property's landlord.
