LOS ANGELES (TCN) — Singer David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, was arrested April 16 in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl who was found decomposing inside his impounded vehicle last year.
The remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez were discovered Sept. 8, 2025, inside an abandoned Tesla that belonged to 21-year-old Burke, who was on an international tour at the time. In February, documents were unsealed that revealed the teen, last seen by her family in 2024, had been dismembered and placed into multiple bags. No charges were filed against Burke at the time, but he was the focus of a grand jury investigation.
According to Rolling Stone, when Rivas Hernandez was found, she was so severely decomposed that her eye color could not be determined, and she was listed as weighing 71 pounds.
NBC Los Angeles reports Burke was arrested on a probable cause warrant at his Hollywood home. He was taken into custody and is being held without bail.
According to NBC Los Angeles, law enforcement sources say Burke might have had help disposing of Rivas Hernandez’s remains.
A statement from Burke’s attorneys, obtained by People, reads, “Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death. … There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence.”
According to People, a search warrant was executed during the investigation at a home near where the Tesla was found, but the Los Angeles Police Department did not release what was collected.
Rivas Hernandez reportedly has a tattoo on her finger that is similar to one Burke has, but People reports that it is unconfirmed whether the two knew each other.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the case will be presented on April 20 to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, where it will be determined whether there is enough evidence to file charges.
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