Singer d4vd whose legal name is David Anthony Burke has been arrested without bail in the murder of 14 year old Celeste Rivas Hernandez after her partially dismembered remains were found inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to him. The 21-year-old artist was taken into custody by Los Angeles police on April 16, 2026, at a residence where he had been staying. For more than seven months after the body discovery he walked free despite a grand jury naming him the target in February 2026 and mounting evidence tying him to the victim which fueled intense public outrage and speculation about why the investigation dragged on so long.
The vehicle sat parked and ticketed in the Hollywood Hills for weeks before it was towed on September 3, 2025. A foul odor reported by the tow yard led workers to open the front storage compartment where they discovered the remains inside a cadaver bag with reports later emerging that the body was partially frozen when found. The grim discovery came more than 11 days after the impound and roughly 17 months after the victim was last reported missing from her home in Lake Elsinore California. Surveillance video later surfaced showing the last person behind the wheel of the Tesla adding fresh layers of intrigue to the probe into who had access during the critical window.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez a young Latina teenager with family roots in El Salvador had been the subject of multiple missing person reports with the final one filed in April 2024. Her mother told authorities that a boyfriend named David had picked her up in a Tesla and that the two shared matching tattoos. Court records show the relationship included extensive digital communication through the singers private Discord server where she was publicly listed as his girlfriend.
Police searched the singers Hollywood Hills property on September 18 2025 seizing electronics and documenting an incinerator on the grounds which authorities later removed for testing. A grand jury reviewed evidence including witness statements and digital records beginning in late 2025 yet no arrest followed immediately as law enforcement worked to build an ironclad case amid side probes that targeted his inner circle. Burke continued his Withered World Tour performing the day after the body was found and stayed active publicly while these developments played out creating a storm of criticism over the apparent leniency.
The drama deepened when one of his close associates streamer Neo Langston 23 was arrested in Montana on January 22 2026 for failing to appear as a grand jury witness in the homicide probe. Langston a former friend who had appeared publicly with Burke later lashed out calling him a dickhead amid their falling out which insiders say could prove damaging if he cooperates. Another associate former bodyguard Mark Morales known as MarkyNextDoor faced separate FBI scrutiny over identity fraud tied to purchasing a Tesla Cybertruck while the touring company president was hauled before the grand jury to explain why he did not contact authorities immediately after the body discovery. D4vds father a litigation support manager with deep expertise in legal technology and eDiscovery also drew whispers of possible influence on the pace of evidence handling though no formal allegations were made against him. Prosecutors even sought detention for at least one key witness from the management team who refused to testify further stalling efforts to secure probable cause.
The defense team for Burke has released a statement insisting that evidence will show he did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez. No formal charges have been filed yet though he is being held without bail pending further proceedings. The case now sits with the Los Angeles district attorneys office for review.
This arrest after such a prolonged period of freedom brings into sharp focus the vulnerabilities that can arise when celebrities maintain close digital ties with underage fans. The title of Burkes breakout hit Romantic Homicide takes on an unintended weight in light of the allegations and the extended timeline of events. It also raises legitimate questions about the safeguards the music industry should maintain around artist fan interactions especially those involving minors on private online platforms and the unique challenges law enforcement faces in high profile cases where evidence must be airtight to avoid any premature releases or claims of special treatment.
