Newly Surfaced Footage of D4vd with Celeste Rivas Hernandez Before Her Disappearance Shatters Defenses in Murder Probe

LOS ANGELES — Shocking new footage has emerged showing rising R&B artist D4vd (David Anthony Burke) alongside 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in what appears to be an intimate setting just months before her disappearance—and the gruesome discovery of her dismembered remains in his Tesla. The clips, including a deleted Twitch stream and leaked photos from a music event, have ignited fresh outrage and intensified the LAPD’s homicide investigation. Previously dismissed as coincidences, the evidence now paints a picture of a secretive relationship that Burke allegedly sought to conceal. While no charges have been filed against the 20-year-old singer, who denies wrongdoing, the revelations have dismantled his public image and triggered a cascade of professional fallout. For Celeste’s family, the footage offers heartbreaking confirmation of their worst fears.

The Tow Yard Horror: A Discovery That Gripped the Nation

The nightmare began on September 8, 2025, at Hollywood Tow on North Mansfield Avenue. Workers noticed a black Tesla Model 3—Texas-plated and dented—emitting a foul odor after sitting impounded since August 15. Abandoned blocks from upscale Hollywood Hills addresses, the vehicle had gone unclaimed for weeks. Curiosity led staff to pop the front trunk (frunk), revealing black plastic bags containing the decomposed, dismembered remains of a young girl.

LAPD arrived swiftly, cordoning the scene as Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office investigators confirmed the horror: the body, identified via dental records as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, was not intact. Only her torso and head were present, wrapped in plastic, with severe decomposition suggesting months of exposure. Celeste, from Lake Elsinore, California, had vanished at 13 on April 5, 2024. The Tesla was registered to D4vd, whose viral hits like “Romantic Homicide” had made him a Gen Z icon.

Celeste was remembered as a vibrant teen who loved art, music, and Hello Kitty. Her family described her as trusting and creative, filling sketchbooks and dreaming of college. Living in a tight-knit lakeside community 70 miles southeast of LA, her disappearance initially drew little attention—partly due to prior runaways and media biases favoring certain demographics. Flyers and social media pleas yielded few leads, leaving her relatives in agonizing limbo for over a year.

D4vd’s Meteoric Rise: From Closet Recordings to Global Stardom

David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, was no obscure figure. Raised in Houston after a New York birth, the 20-year-old built his career on TikTok and SoundCloud, blending low-fi R&B with raw emotion. His 2022 breakout “Romantic Homicide”—recorded in his sister’s closet using an iPhone and BandLab app—garnered over 1 billion Spotify streams. Lyrics like “I was so unphased at first / I had my boyfriends back home” were hailed as metaphors for heartbreak, resonating with young fans.

By 2025, D4vd boasted 33 million monthly Spotify listeners, sold-out arenas, and multimillion-dollar deals from Interscope Records and Universal Music Group. In a 2023 Zach Sang interview, he described his process: “If you can expel that thought from your mind… it’s about building narrative tension.” Fans adored his “introspective” persona—gaming, anime, poetry—seeing dark themes as artistic depth. But post-discovery, lines like “She died and I didn’t even cry / Not a single tear” from “Romantic Homicide” took on a sinister tone.

From Fan to Secret Companion: The Relationship Unravels

Celeste discovered D4vd’s music in late 2022 via TikTok, like millions of teens. What started as fandom—comments, shares—allegedly evolved into private messages and real-world meetings. Her mother, Maria Hernandez, told reporters Celeste mentioned a boyfriend named “David”—a common name that raised no alarms. A matching “SH” tattoo on their right index fingers (Burke’s in black, Celeste’s in red) surfaced as key evidence; Burke displayed his in September 2024 posts.

A leaked December 2023 demo, “Celeste,” fueled speculation: “Oh, Celeste, the girl with my name tattooed on her chest / I’m obsessed.” Dismissed as fiction then, it now suggests an ongoing bond. Family and a former teacher confirmed online origins, but interventions failed amid Celeste’s runaways.

The Footage That Changes Everything: Intimacy Caught on Camera

The narrative shifted in mid-September 2025 with resurfaced videos exposing their closeness. First, a January 2024 Twitch stream: Burke, gaming casually, is joined by a girl resembling 14-year-old Celeste—laughing, pointing at chat. “Yo, yo, wait, wait… Oh, look at that one, that’s so mean if you don’t ask,” she says playfully. Burke reads messages like “Thank you, Mitch,” as she engages naturally.

The stream ends with Burke’s offhand request: “I got to sign with him… Delete all VODs and clips after.” Moderators complied, assuming she was 18. Archived by fans, the footage—timestamped months before her April vanishing—shows easy intimacy, not fan awkwardness. Burke’s deletion now appears calculated to hide her youth.

TMZ escalated on September 18, publishing a hacked iCloud photo: Burke and Celeste arm-in-arm, smiling, tattoos visible. A video from a mid-2024 music event shows them whispering, her in his tour hoodie—exclusive merch for insiders. Metadata places it post-disappearance, implying she was alive and embedded in his world while her family searched.

Backstage footage from June 27, 2024, at a Burke concert captures Celeste with a VIP pass, chatting with his brother (tour crew). “I’m planning to surprise David later,” she says casually. This suggests family familiarity—did they know her age? The VIP access indicates inner-circle status, not fleeting fandom.

Discord screenshots from 2022 show early interactions when Celeste was 11-12; Burke allegedly urged secrecy. A Reddit comment pre-identification linked a Lake Elsinore runaway to him, hinting at insider knowledge.

Raid and Revelations: A Web of Deception

Hours after TMZ’s drop, LAPD raided Burke’s Hollywood Hills rental on September 18—blocks from the Tesla site. Over eight hours, they seized encrypted hard drives, hidden cameras (disguised as household items), and a coded notebook. Cadaver dogs searched; drains were swabbed for blood/tissue. Forensic linguists decode the notebook for references to meetings and locations around Celeste’s vanishing.

The raid’s scope—encryption, surveillance—suggests premeditation. Burke’s team claims full cooperation; he was touring abroad when the body was found, providing an alibi. But the Tesla’s data (location, cameras) and home proximity raise questions.

Industry Implosion: Tours Canceled, Partnerships Severed

Fallout was immediate. The Withered World Tour—North America and Europe—canceled, stranding fans and crews. Interscope/Universal froze Afterlife deluxe edition, halting videos and marketing. Sony Music Publishing ended ties, limiting royalties.

Kali Uchis pulled their collab “Crashing” from streams, stating horror at allegations. Brands like Crocs (shoe line) and Hollister (ads) terminated contracts, pulling inventory. Negotiations evaporated; the industry, once eager, now views Burke as toxic.

Fans fractured: Some defend his “art,” others disband communities, grappling with betrayal. Mental health experts note trauma for young followers, mirroring Celeste’s age.

A Family’s Agony and the Quest for Justice

For the Hernandez family, footage confirms fears: Celeste, alive and happy in Burke’s world, while they distributed flyers. A GoFundMe aids burial (October 5, 2025); Maria verified the tattoo privately.

The probe is active; autopsy/toxicology pending. No charges yet, but evidence—footage, tattoos, song—builds a case of grooming and concealment. Legal experts say lyrics provide context, not standalone proof.

Celeste’s story exposes digital dangers: fan-idol lines blurring, ignored red flags. As Burke’s empire crumbles, her legacy demands accountability—beyond streams and spotlights. Updates as the investigation unfolds.