The teenage girl whose body was discovered inside a Tesla belonging to musician D4vd had been dead for several weeks before she was found, police have revealed.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 15, was found in the front trunk of the 2023 electric vehicle registered to the musician in a Los Angeles impoundment lot on September 8.
D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has not been named as a suspect or charged in the case, led by the Los Angeles Police Department’s robbery-homicide division.
“It is very likely Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been dead for several weeks prior to her body being discovered,” LAPD Captain and Commanding Officer Scot M. Williams told PEOPLE.
Many questions in the case remain unanswered as the 15-year-old’s cause of death has not yet been determined and police have not publicly commented about any potential connection to 20-year-old Burke, who is reportedly cooperating with the investigation.
The Independent has contacted Burke’s representatives for comment.
Here’s what we know so far
Hernandez was likely ‘dead for several weeks’ before her body was discovered
Hernandez, whose body was discovered one day after her 15th birthday, was likely “dead for several weeks” before she was found, Williams said in the latest development in the case.
“We know for sure that Celeste Rivas Hernandez died and someone placed her body in the front trunk area of David Burke’s Tesla,” Williams told PEOPLE.
“We know that the Tesla had been parked at the location from which it was towed for several weeks, so it is very likely Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been dead for several weeks prior to her body being discovered,” he added.
The 2023 Tesla registered to Burke was ticketed by LA authorities 11 days before Hernandez was found inside, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Residents on Bluebird Avenue in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood had complained about the vehicle in late August, the outlet reports, which led to the Tesla being ticketed and towed.
Hernandez’s body was “severely decomposed” when it was discovered in the Tesla at the Hollywood Tow.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not determined a cause or manner of death, Williams said.
“So we don’t know for sure if anyone has any criminal culpability for her death beyond the concealment of her dead body,” the captain added.
Police search Hollywood Hills property where D4vd had been staying
The LAPD searched the $5 million Hollywood Hills property where Burke had been staying on September 17 and recovered “several items of evidence.”
A few days after the search, D4vd and his manager reportedly vacated the property, as pictures obtained by media outlets showed large boxes being carted out of the home.
The home was apparently being searched for “blood evidence,” according to a News Nation report. Police told TMZ that the home was about a block away from where the singer’s Tesla was parked before it was towed.
The owner of the property told SFGate that his tenant—Burke’s manager— broke the lease days after the police search. “I did not know D4vd, nor was I aware that he was living in the house,” owner Malden Trifunovic told the outlet. “The news came as a complete surprise.”
Who was Celeste Rivas Hernandez?
Hernandez had run away from her home in the small town of Lake Elsinore three times in 2024, according to reports. Her last known whereabouts remain unclear. Investigators are trying to piece together her movements ever since her latest disappearance from the town, which is approximately 70 miles south of LA.
Her body was found “severely decomposed” in the front trunk of the Tesla, investigators said.
Police are probing the possible connection between Hernandez and Burke but would not comment further.
“As far as their relationship, it would be premature for me to say anything,” Williams told PEOPLE. “We are looking into everything.”
There has been speculation about a potential relationship between the two on social media, where users have shared photos and videos purportedly showing them together.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner said Rivas had a tattoo on her right index finger that said, “Shhh…”
Burke appears to have the same tattoo on his right index finger, TMZ reported. The tattoo was popularized by Rihanna in 2008 and several other celebrities also have it on their fingers.
The family of Hernandez said they are “heartbroken and devastated” by the loss and said the teenager was “a beloved daughter, sister, cousin and friend.”
Matthew Rivas, the teenager’s brother, told NBC News the family was struggling to cope.
“I’m just trying to stay positive. I’m just trying to move forward,” the 18-year-old told the outlet. “My mom’s grieving really bad. My dad’s grieving really bad.”
A GoFundMe page launched by the family to seek donations for her funeral has raised over $25,000.
“Thank you to everyone who is gracious enough to donate. The family is incredibly grateful,” the page said.
Singer cancels remaining US, European and UK tour dates
Burke was on his Withered world tour when Hernandez’s body was discovered.
The final two U.S. dates of the tour were canceled, along with the upcoming European and U.K. legs.
A scheduled appearance by the singer-songwriter at the Grammys Museum was also canceled.
The record label representing Burke, Interscope, has suspended promotional activities while the investigation is ongoing, “out of respect of the seriousness” of the probe, according to TMZ.
