Singer D4vd has been arrested for murder several months after the body of 14-year-old Celes Rivas was found in the trunk of his vehicle. The 21-year-old entertainer, whose real name is David Burke, was taken into custody on Thursday.
Reports say officers attached to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division went to a Hollywood Hills residence where he had been staying and took him away in handcuffs. He was charged with murder and booked into jail without bail. His case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday.
Celeste Rivas, who went missing in April 2024, was found dead on September 8, 2025. The discovery was made after employees at a tow yard smelled a strong odour days after D4vd’s Tesla was impounded. When they realised the stench was coming from the trunk of the vehicle, the police were alerted. Officers opened up the trunk to find decomposing human remains that were later confirmed to be Celeste.
What’s even more disturbing is that her remains were not intact and had been placed in separate bags, according to investigative documents. Reports detailed that one bag contained the head and the torso, while a separate bag contained other body parts. Forensic examinations revealed that her remains were left inside the vehicle for a long time.
The Tesla was left abandoned on the street for some time before it was impounded. Following the discovery, internet users quickly began digging and exposing that they were connected by resurfacing images and videos of them together before her disappearance. There was also a lot of attention on one of D4vd’s songs in which he mentions a woman named Celeste romantically.
When the news broke about the discovery of her dead body, D4vd was in the middle of a tour. He ultimately cancelled the remaining shows, and he was reportedly cooperating with investigators.
Police have not disclosed a motive, and the nature of the relationship between Burke and the teen remains unclear. Burke has not yet entered a plea, and his attorney has not issued a public statement following his arrest.