Singer David Anthony Burke, alias D4vd, has been arrested by the Robbery-Homicide Division of the LAPD for the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Her body was discovered in the trunk of his Tesla in Hollywood in September, leaving the case as a chilling mystery that has now been solved.
The 21-year-old musician was taken into custody without bail and is currently awaiting the filing consideration of the case by the District Attorney's office on Monday. According to the police, they were investigating a trip Burke made to the Santa Barbara area sometime during the spring of 2025, following Hernandez's death. Initially, a spokesman for the musician stated that he was "fully cooperating with authorities," but NBC Los Angeles reported on November 18 that Burke had stopped cooperating with law enforcement.
The investigation began on September 8th when officers were called to a tow yard after reports of a foul odor emanating from the car, which had been on the property for several days. Police found a dismembered body that had been placed inside a bag in the front trunk of the vehicle. The car, registered in Hempstead, Texas to Burke, was impounded after being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors complained of a rotting smell. As of September 9th, the case was being treated as a death investigation.
Hernandez was reported missing from her home in Lake Elsinore, Calif., last year. She was last seen in April 2024, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. After her body was found, police said that a manner of death had not been determined.
Shortly after the discovery, Burke quietly canceled his U.S. tour and postponed the promotion of his deluxe album. The chilling tale of murder and investigation has left fans and the public reeling, as they try to understand how such a young and promising talent could be involved in such a heinous crime.
