R&B Singer D4vd Detained Without Bail in Teenager Death Investigation
Rising R&B artist D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has been formally arrested by Los Angeles police in connection with the death of a teenage girl. The 21-year-old musician is being held without bail as authorities investigate the discovery of a severely decomposed body found inside his Tesla vehicle last year.
Gruesome Discovery in Impounded Vehicle
In September 2024, Los Angeles Police Department detectives responded to reports of a foul odor emanating from an impounded car at a Hollywood tow yard. The vehicle, registered to Burke, had been towed from the Hollywood Hills area after appearing abandoned. Upon inspection, authorities discovered a dismembered body that was later identified through forensic examination as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The medical examiner's office determined Rivas Hernandez had been deceased in the vehicle for "an extended period of time before being found." The teenager had been reported missing earlier in 2024 and was last seen in Lake Elsinore, approximately 60 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Legal Proceedings and Defense Claims
Police confirmed Burke's case will be presented to the district attorney's office on Monday for potential charges. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office acknowledged the arrest in a statement, noting prosecutors will review the facts and evidence to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to file formal charges.
Burke's legal team, consisting of attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter, has maintained their client's innocence. In a statement, they emphasized that "no indictment has been returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed." The lawyers asserted that "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."
Background and Investigation Developments
The arrest comes as Burke was already facing a grand jury investigation related to Rivas Hernandez's death. In September, police obtained a search warrant for a Hollywood Hills home where Burke had been staying, seizing a computer and other items as evidence.
Rivas Hernandez's brother, Matthew, told media outlets that before her disappearance, his sister mentioned she was going to watch a movie with Burke. Authorities have not commented on the nature of the relationship between the musician and the teenager.
Career Impact and Online Speculation
Burke, who grew up in Houston, gained significant popularity around 2022 through viral TikTok hits including "Romantic Homicide," a song that has faced renewed scrutiny given its lyrical content about death. His internet fame led to collaborations with prominent artists including SZA and Kali Uchis.
At the time Rivas Hernandez's body was discovered, Burke was actively touring, though the tour was subsequently cancelled. The case has attracted considerable attention from online communities, with internet sleuths examining potential connections between the musician and the missing teenager.
The investigation continues as authorities prepare to present evidence to prosecutors, while the music industry watches closely as one of its emerging stars faces serious criminal allegations.
