Singer D4vd was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposing and dismembered body was found last September in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to the artist, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, 21, of Los Angeles, is being held without bail, authorities said. The arrest was based on evidence and probable cause developed during the investigation, LAPD officials told ABC News. It was not the result of an indictment. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday for filing consideration.
The discovery of Hernandez’s body on Sept. 8, 2025, at a Hollywood impound lot sparked a high-profile investigation that stretched more than seven months before charges could be pursued.
Officers responded to the lot after receiving reports of a foul odor coming from a vehicle. They found the teenager’s remains in the front trunk — also known as the frunk — of a Tesla that had been towed two days earlier after it was found abandoned on a Hollywood street. The car was registered to Burke.
Hernandez, who was from Lake Elsinore in Riverside County, had been reported missing in 2024. Authorities said she may have been dead for several weeks before her body was discovered. Sources previously told ABC News the body was dismembered and that the process of dismembering and disposing of it likely involved more than one person.
Background on the artist and the case
D4vd first rose to fame in 2022 after going viral on TikTok, where he has nearly 4 million followers. The Queens, New York-born, Houston-raised singer — real name David Anthony Burke, born March 28, 2005 — started making music to avoid copyright issues on his Fortnite gaming videos. He broke through with hits including “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me” and signed with Darkroom/Interscope Records. His debut album drew widespread acclaim, and he was on his “Withered” world tour when the body was found.
The discovery forced the cancellation of the final shows of the North American leg, including dates in San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as the European portion of the tour. Promotion for the deluxe edition of his album, originally set for release Sept. 19, 2025, was also paused.
Burke was named a person of interest early in the probe and officially considered a suspect by November 2025, according to law enforcement sources. By February 2026, court filings confirmed he was the “target” of a Los Angeles County grand jury investigation into the death, which authorities described in documents as involving possible foul play.
Why the arrest took so long
The delay stemmed from the complexities of the case. The severely decomposed state of the body required extensive forensic analysis, including autopsy and toxicology results, to establish the cause and manner of death. LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division led the investigation, which included digital evidence, vehicle forensics and interviews with multiple witnesses.
An investigative grand jury was convened in November 2025 to hear evidence. Prosecutors subpoenaed Burke’s family members in Texas, as well as associates including a manager and friend Neo Langston, who was arrested in Montana for ignoring a subpoena and returned to Los Angeles to testify. Court records were sealed at the request of police to protect the integrity of the ongoing probe.
Legal experts and investigators have noted that high-profile cases involving decomposed remains often take months to build a prosecutable case with sufficient probable cause, especially when determining whether the death was a homicide and identifying any accomplices. Burke had not been publicly charged as of Thursday, and the investigation remains active.
Hernandez’s family has previously said she was last seen after being picked up by Burke in his Tesla, according to reports citing her brother. No further details on the relationship between Burke and Hernandez have been released by authorities.
The case drew intense public attention, with the singer continuing some professional activities while under scrutiny until Thursday’s arrest. LAPD has not released additional information on the specific charges being considered.
This story is developing. AP will provide updates as more details become available from the district attorney’s office and court proceedings.
