In a case that’s straight out of a twisted true-crime thriller, rising singer D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke) is drowning in suspicion after the mutilated remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were discovered rotting in the trunk of his Tesla—yet nearly a month later, no arrests, no suspects, and zero official word clearing the 20-year-old heartthrob. As Hollywood’s underbelly unravels, questions scream louder than D4vd’s viral tracks: Was this a panicked overdose hideaway gone deadly? A sick frame job to torch his career? Or is the pop sensation’s silence hiding a motive fueled by a forbidden fling with a minor? Law&Crime’s Jesse Weber and retired detective commander Will Svilar just peeled back the layers on this festering mystery, revealing a web of decomposed clues, shady swatting schemes, and a legal limbo that’s letting potential predators slip through the cracks. With toxicology tests dragging on and D4vd lawyering up like a guilty celeb stereotype, this isn’t justice—it’s a scandalous stall-out that’s begging for answers before another young life vanishes into the shadows.
The nightmare kicked off on September 8 when tow yard workers in the Hollywood Hills gagged on a foul stench emanating from a dusty Tesla—D4vd’s registered ride, parked there for weeks like a forgotten prop in his fame-chasing life. Inside? The dismembered, decomposed body of Celeste, a seventh-grader who’d been missing for over a year and a half after multiple runaway episodes from her chaotic California home. No murder weapon, no witnesses, and crucially, no cause of death yet—leaving cops handcuffed to lesser charges like “desecration of a corpse” or “improper handling of a dead body.” As Svilar hammered home, “Somebody did that. That’s a crime.” But without the medical examiner’s green light on homicide, don’t hold your breath for a slam-dunk murder rap. LAPD’s Scott M. Williams spilled to People magazine: “We don’t know for sure if anyone has any criminal culpability for her death beyond the concealment.” Translation? The real killer—or killers—could be walking free while forensics plays catch-up.
What’s got true-crime junkies foaming? The Tesla’s beat-up state screams cover-up. Private investigator Steve Fischer, who snagged pics of the car, told Fox 11 LA it looked “off-road in the desert or something”—wheel wells trashed, massive rear dent, like it was dragged through hell to bury secrets. Celeste’s body was advanced in decay, hinting she marinated in that trunk for ages post-death. Fischer speculates overdose panic: “They hid her body because they didn’t want to expose the relationship between her and the minor.” (She’d have turned 15 the day after discovery—talk about tragic timing.) D4vd’s rented $20K/month Hollywood Hills mansion, just blocks away, was raided by cops who hauled off goodies under warrant. He bolted, breaking the lease and ditching leftovers for the trash—now the owner’s scrubbing it for new tenants, per TMZ. Evidentiary goldmine or cleaned-up crime scene? Svilar shrugs: “You can only hold property so long… It’s his stuff.” But tossing potential clues? That’s either sloppy policing or a green light for the guilty to ghost.
No arrests? Blame the backlog. Svilar breaks it down: Toxicology and lab reports take 6-8 weeks, scanning for booze, drugs—anything lethal in Celeste’s system. If it’s a sky-high overdose, you’ve got cause (accidental or forced?) but no manner yet—did she OD solo, get laced, or worse? Decomposition nukes evidence, turning this into a forensic nightmare. And D4vd? Not named suspect, person of interest, or even officially linked to Celeste beyond the car. But his silence is deafening. As Weber probes, “If David weren’t in any way connected… wouldn’t someone have come out with a statement?” Cops won’t clear him publicly—case-by-case, says Svilar—because they’re juggling theories: natural death ditched in panic, outright murder, or that explosive age-gap angle. Illinois age of consent is 17; a 20-year-old romping with a 14-year-old? Statutory rape city, motive for mayhem if the truth dropped.
Enter the sleaze: Rumors swirl of a romantic hookup, with TMZ sources claiming D4vd’s circle thought Celeste was 19—a college kid hitting age-restricted gigs, maybe with a fake ID. They were snapped together in early September (post-body drop?), and whispers of matching “sh” finger tattoos ID’d her corpse. A leaked 2023 SoundCloud track titled with “Celeste”? D4vd’s Discord mods swear ignorance: “We don’t know Celeste… didn’t know she was missing.” But autopsy nixes pregnancy drama—she wasn’t knocked up recently. Fan obsession? Possible, per Svilar: “Obsessive fans… She makes herself look older.” Yet discovery of her real age could’ve sparked a career-killing freakout—motive enough to silence her forever?
Complicating the circus: D4vd’s hired powerhouse attorney Blair Burke, who’s defended Weinstein, Spears, and Lohan. Smart move, says Svilar—shields against minor-sex probes and forces cops to route through her. “You never have to explain something you didn’t say,” a defense vet once quipped. No public mea culpa from D4vd? Wise, but damning—why no condolences for a “fan” found in your car? And the swatting bombshell: TMZ bodycam from Texas shows cops storming D4vd’s family home over a fake “gunfire and dead body” call—classic hoax to terrorize. His folks, bewildered in the boonies, beg: “Someone’s messing with us.” Cui bono? Who benefits from framing the singer? Extortion? Rep destruction? Svilar’s skeptical: “Pretty extreme to kill and dismember… Texas to California? Far-reaching conspiracy.” But investigators must chase it—every angle, from Celeste’s runaway history (11 sheriff visits to her home in 14 months, per ABC7) to her liquor-store jogs and prank-fueled arguments on vid.
Celeste’s life was a red flag parade: Tough home, ex-BF spilling to TMZ about turmoil, missing since April 2024 but spotted locally in September. Svilar nails it: “14-year-olds aren’t on the street for a year and a half by themselves.” Deep dives into friends, family, surveillance—crucial to mapping her path to D4vd’s orbit. Was she crashing at his pad? Stalking shows? The public’s sleuthing helps, unearthing tattoos and tracks, but cops hold the cards.
So, what’s next in this pop-star purgatory? Svilar predicts the break: Cause and manner of death. Overdose? Accidental charges. Strangulation? Homicide hunt. Either way, expect indictments—concealment alone is felony fuel. But with D4vd’s legal fortress and cops tight-lipped, is the system shielding a suspect or just grinding gears? This isn’t cleared—it’s cloaked in celebrity smoke. Fans, drop your theories: Framed fame-chaser or fatal fling? Overdose hide or cold-blooded kill? The clock’s ticking on toxicology—will justice trunk this mystery, or let D4vd drive away scot-free? Stay tuned; Hollywood’s hiding more bodies than we know.
