Los Angeles police arrested musician D4vd on Thursday in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl whose severely decomposed remains were discovered in his vehicle earlier this year.
The artist, born David Anthony Burke, is being held without bail. Burke, who gained viral fame around 2022 through TikTok hits including "Romantic Homicide," was taken into custody as authorities moved forward with the investigation into the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Rivas Hernandez vanished in 2024 and was last seen in Lake Elsinore, about 60 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles. In September, LAPD detectives arrived at a Hollywood tow yard after receiving reports of a severe odor from an impounded vehicle registered to Burke. The car had been towed from the Hollywood Hills after being abandoned. Inside, authorities found a dismembered body that was later identified as the missing teenager.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, Rivas Hernandez had been in the vehicle "for an extended period of time" before discovery.
The case will be presented to the District Attorney's Office on Monday. Prosecutors will now review the evidence to determine whether sufficient grounds exist to file formal charges. The arrest caps a grand jury investigation that was underway in connection with the teenager's death.
When Rivas Hernandez's body was discovered in September, Burke was on tour. He canceled the remaining dates following the discovery. His legal representative, Blair Berk, has not commented on the arrest.
Prior to his arrest, a spokesperson for Burke told media outlets in September that the musician was "fully cooperating with the authorities." In that same month, police executed a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills residence where Burke had been staying, seizing a computer and other items as part of their investigation.
According to her brother Matthew, Rivas Hernandez told family members before disappearing that she was headed to watch a movie with Burke. Police have not publicly disclosed details about the nature of the relationship between the two.
Burke rose to prominence as a breakout artist through his viral social media presence, which led to collaborations with major artists including SZA and Kali Uchis. His breakthrough hit "Romantic Homicide" has drawn renewed attention in recent weeks, particularly regarding its lyrical content about death.
Author James Rodriguez: "This case shatters the image of a TikTok star whose ascent seemed boundless, and raises hard questions about what happens when online fame obscures real-world consequences."
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