LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles police arrested musician D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, on Thursday on suspicion of murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed remains were found in the trunk of a Tesla registered to him last September.
The 21-year-old singer, known for the song “Romantic Homicide,” was taken into custody in Hollywood by detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, according to an LAPD statement. He was being held without bail as of Thursday evening.
Rivas Hernandez’s body was discovered in September 2025 inside an abandoned Tesla that had been impounded at a tow yard in Los Angeles. The vehicle was registered to Burke, police said. The teen had been missing for some time before the discovery, and her remains were in an advanced state of decomposition.
The arrest came more than seven months after the body was found and followed a grand jury investigation in which Burke was identified as a target, officials said. A friend of the singer was previously arrested in Montana for ignoring a subpoena related to the case and was compelled to testify.
LAPD officials confirmed the arrest in a public statement Thursday but provided limited additional details about the circumstances of the death or the relationship between Burke and the victim. No motive has been publicly disclosed.
Burke’s attorney or representatives could not immediately be reached for comment. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, where prosecutors will determine whether to file formal charges.
D4vd rose to prominence as an independent artist with viral hits on social media platforms. Details about any impact on his career or upcoming projects were not immediately available.
As of Friday, Burke remained in custody. The investigation continues, and further information from authorities was expected in the coming days as the case proceeds through the judicial system. No court appearance date had been announced in initial reports.
