(Photo via Max Durante)
On Sept. 8, the Los Angeles Police responded to a call at Hollywood Tow, where someone reported a “foul smell” coming from one of the vehicles on the lot. The Tesla, registered to singer-songwriter D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was impounded after a person reported it abandoned. Several days later, the body was identified as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. According to a neighbor residing in the Hollywood Hills, the car had been left for a month. Following this discovery, it was revealed that the 15-year-old had been deceased for “several weeks.”
Although D4vd was not immediately considered a suspect in the case, companies, including Hollister and Crocs, cut their partnerships with him. Currently, however, the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office has not determined a cause of death.
“At this time, the LAPD does not have a crime classification from the coroner as to the mode or manner of death. Thus, we do not have any suspect information at this time,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement on Sept. 17.
As the case continued to unfold, a spokesperson for D4vd revealed he was “fully cooperating with authorities.” With the news becoming public, D4vd abruptly canceled the remaining U.S. tour dates of his Withered World Tour, which were scheduled to continue on Sept. 19.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez first went missing in April 2024 in her hometown of Lake Elsinore, California, just 70 miles from Los Angeles. At the time, Hernandez was 13 years old, which is when she was first linked to the 20-year-old singer, after rumors circulated that he was dating someone named Celeste. An unreleased song from D4vd, titled “Celeste,” has also been rumored to be about Hernandez, further linking the two. With new leads emerging, the case is still under investigation.
Senior psychology major Ada Bucur shared how she felt about the case. She explained that although she wasn’t a big fan of him, she did like the few songs that she knew from him. However, now, she felt like she “couldn’t listen to his music” because it felt weird.
“It feels weird, especially his song, ‘Romantic Homicide,’ given the situation,” Bucur said.
Julia Vega, who listened to D4vd frequently in high school, said she felt uncomfortable. Similar to Bucur, she also mentioned ‘Romantic Homicide’ and how it was her favorite.
“Knowing that it sounds so relatable even if it wasn’t him … it just can’t be a coincidence,” Vega explained.
With no suspects in custody and no cause of death, it is clear that the Los Angeles Police Department is struggling to determine where to go next. At this time, they haven’t even ruled it a homicide, despite it likely being one. Even though D4vd has not been arrested for any involvement with Hernandez’s death, there are signs that the two of them were close, likely pointing to a relationship of some sort. On Oct. 6, attorney Alexandra Kazarian said there was “no evidence” linking D4vd to Hernandez’s death.
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