Decomposed Body of Missing Teen Found in Singer D4vd’s Tesla, LAPD Confirms
Los Angeles authorities revealed shocking details Monday about the discovery of a missing teenage girl’s decomposed body inside the trunk of a Tesla registered to rising music star D4vd.
The victim, identified as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, had been missing for several weeks before her remains were found earlier this month. Officials from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said that her body was in an advanced state of decomposition, raising questions about how long she had been dead and what circumstances led to her death.
Discovery in a Tow Yard
According to investigators, the grim discovery was made on September 8, when a tow yard worker noticed a foul smell coming from a Tesla that had been impounded days earlier. The car, a 2023 model registered to singer David Anthony Burke, professionally known as D4vd, had been parked on Bluebird Avenue in the Hollywood Hills for weeks before being cited and eventually towed.
After the worker raised concerns, detectives obtained a search warrant to open the vehicle. Inside the trunk, they found a black bag containing Hernandez’s body. She was badly decomposed, weighing just 71 pounds at the time of discovery, and was identified partly by a distinctive “Shhh” tattoo on her finger.
Her body was found only one day after what would have been her 15th birthday.
Timeline of Events
Police records show that the Tesla had been parked on the street for an extended period. On August 27, parking enforcement officers marked the vehicle to track its movement. By September 3, it was cited for violating Los Angeles’ 72-hour parking rule. The car was towed on September 5 and remained in the impound lot until the odor led to the investigation three days later.
Captain Scot Williams, head of the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division, confirmed that Hernandez had likely been dead for several weeks before the discovery. However, authorities have not yet determined her exact time of death.
“The cause of death remains under review by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner,” Williams said, stressing that the case is being treated with extreme sensitivity given the victim’s age.
Ongoing Investigation
At this stage, investigators say it is unclear whether criminal charges will extend beyond the concealment of Hernandez’s body. Police have not confirmed how the girl ended up in the Tesla or whether D4vd himself had direct involvement in the events surrounding her death.
The LAPD confirmed that D4vd has been cooperating fully with detectives. He has not been charged with any crime related to the case, though questions remain about his connection to Hernandez.
Detectives are currently tracing Hernandez’s final movements and reviewing missing persons reports filed by her family. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, her family had reported her missing at least three times throughout 2024.
Who Was Celeste Rivas Hernandez?
Celeste grew up in Lake Elsinore, about 76 miles southeast of Los Angeles. She was a seventh-grade student and described by relatives as a quiet, sensitive teenager.
Her disappearance had caused repeated anguish for her family, who struggled to keep track of her amid troubling patterns of going missing. Police have not commented on the circumstances that may have led her to Los Angeles or her possible associations with individuals there.
Fallout for D4vd
The discovery has cast a shadow over the career of D4vd, a multiplatinum singer best known for his 2022 breakout hit “Romantic Homicide”, which went viral on TikTok before climbing international charts.
Once celebrated as a teenage prodigy in the music world, the 19-year-old artist had recently been living in a multimillion-dollar rental home in the Hollywood Hills. But according to property owner Malden Trifunovic, the lease was held in the name of D4vd’s manager, John Marshall, not the singer himself.
“Never met or talked to Dave, didn’t even know he was living there,” Trifunovic said. He added that he and Marshall agreed to terminate the lease earlier this month, shortly after the case became public.
Neighbors on Bluebird Avenue told reporters that the Tesla had been parked on the street for weeks before its removal. Some residents lodged complaints with the city in early August, frustrated that the vehicle appeared abandoned.
Legal and Public Questions
The case raises significant legal and public questions. While it remains uncertain whether D4vd had direct knowledge of the body in his vehicle, investigators are under mounting pressure to clarify his role and whether negligence or complicity was involved.
For now, the LAPD has stopped short of making any arrests beyond seizing evidence. Authorities stress that their focus remains on establishing Hernandez’s cause of death and reconstructing her final days.
“We are taking this investigation step by step,” Captain Williams said. “At this time, it remains unclear whether there is any criminal culpability beyond the concealment of her body.”
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is expected to release further details in the coming weeks, including toxicology results.
Community Reaction
The disturbing nature of the discovery has left both fans of the singer and the broader Los Angeles community shaken. On social media, reactions have ranged from disbelief to outrage, with some calling for patience until all facts are established, while others demand accountability.
Meanwhile, Celeste’s family has not issued a public statement, but supporters have organized online vigils and memorial posts honoring her memory.
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