Posted by Chinenye on Fri 17th Apr, 2026 - tori.ng
Los Angeles police have arrested 21-year-old singer-songwriter d4vd (David Anthony Burke) on suspicion of murder following a high-profile investigation into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
(David Anthony Burke. Photo by NPR)
According to police, D4vd has been detained in Los Angeles in relation to the death of a teenage girl whose decomposing body was found in a car connected to him.
As detectives look into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was reported missing in 2024, the 21-year-old musician, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is being detained without bond.
Detectives were dispatched to a Hollywood tow yard in September, according to the authorities, following complaints of an unpleasant smell emanating from an impounded car that belonged to Burke.
After looking abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, the automobile was towed. Officers discovered the teenager's fragmented remains inside.
The Los Angeles medical examiner said the victim had been dead for “an extended period of time before being found”.
Police said the case will be presented to prosecutors on Monday. In a statement, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said: “Prosecutors will review the facts and evidence to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to file charges.”
Burke's legal team refuted any misconduct, stating: "No criminal complaint has been filed, and no grand jury has returned an indictment in this case. David has only been detained under suspicion. 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.”
The arrest follows months of investigation, including a grand jury probe into the case. Police previously said Burke was “fully cooperating with the authorities.”
The teenager was last seen in Lake Elsinore, about 60 miles from Los Angeles. Authorities have not disclosed the nature of any relationship between her and the singer.