Singer D4vd Arrested on Suspicion of Murdering Celeste Rivas

Published: 17 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

In a development that has sent shockwaves through the music industry and social media, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed on Thursday that breakout alt-pop star D4vd—born David Anthony Burke—has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The arrest follows a grueling seven-month investigation into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered remains were discovered in the trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to the 21-year-old artist. Burke is currently being held without bail at a Los Angeles detention facility, with detectives expected to present their case to the District Attorney’s office for formal charges this coming Monday.

The grim timeline of the case began on September 8, 2025, when workers at a Hollywood impound lot reported a foul odor and swarms of flies emanating from a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The vehicle had been towed from a residential street in the Hollywood Hills after sitting seemingly abandoned for several days. Upon unzipping a cadaver bag found in the “frunk” (front trunk), investigators discovered the severely decomposed head and torso of a young girl; further search revealed a second bag containing severed limbs. The victim was later identified as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a middle-schooler from Lake Elsinore who had been reported missing by her family more than a year prior, in April 2024.

Digital evidence and witness testimony have painted a disturbing picture of the months leading up to the discovery. While Celeste was missing, surveillance footage and internet records reportedly placed her at a rental property in Los Angeles linked to Burke. Her brother, Matthew, told investigators that Celeste had previously mentioned she was “going to see David” before her final disappearance. Furthermore, internet sleuths pointed to archived Discord messages from Burke’s official server, where a user named “Celeste” was frequently referred to as his girlfriend as early as 2022. The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division suggested that the “sophisticated nature” of the body’s disposal indicated that more than one person may have been involved in the aftermath of the killing.

Burke’s legal team, led by high-profile defense attorney Blair Berk, issued a statement late Thursday maintaining the singer’s innocence. “David has been detained under suspicion, but there has been no indictment and no formal criminal complaint,” the statement read. “The actual evidence will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and was not the cause of her death.” Despite these claims, the arrest follows a secret investigative grand jury probe that reportedly examined Burke’s movements during his 2025 “Withered World Tour”—a tour that was abruptly canceled in September as the investigation intensified.

As the case moves toward the Major Crimes Division of the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, fans and critics alike are revisiting the artist’s discography with renewed scrutiny. His 2022 viral hit, “Romantic Homicide,” which catapulted him to fame with lyrics about a metaphorical killing of a lover, has become a focal point of dark irony in the comments sections of his social media. While the “presumption of innocence” remains the legal standard, the chilling details of the dismembered teen found in his personal vehicle have left a permanent stain on the career of one of Gen Z’s most promising musical voices.

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