What We Know After Singer d4vd’s Arrest in the Killing of 14‑Year‑Old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

US musician d4vd, the 21‑year‑old alt‑pop and rap artist behind the viral hit “Romantic Homicide,” has been arrested in Los Angeles on suspicion of murdering a 14‑year‑old girl whose dismembered remains were found last year in a Tesla registered in his name. Police say David Anthony Burke is being held without bail in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a California teenager who vanished in 2024 and whose body was discovered months later at a Hollywood tow yard, turning a missing‑child case into one of the most disturbing investigations to hit the music industry in years.

The arrest in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Thursday that officers had arrested Burke “for the murder of Celeste Rivas,” saying he is being held without the possibility of bail pending review by prosecutors. In a brief statement, LAPD described the case as an ongoing homicide investigation led by its Robbery‑Homicide Division, with detectives preparing a file for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

A spokesperson for the DA said the office’s Major Crimes Division will evaluate the evidence and decide whether to file formal charges after receiving the police report early next week. As of Friday morning, no charges had yet appeared on the county’s public court portal.

The arrest follows months of speculation in US and international media after police publicly acknowledged that d4vd was the target of a grand jury investigation into the girl’s death. A Texas judge earlier this year ordered members of his family to comply with subpoenas and testify before that California panel.

The victim: Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Authorities have identified the victim as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14‑year‑old from Lake Elsinore, a city about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. She was reported missing in 2024, when she was a 13‑year‑old seventh‑grader, after failing to return home, according to court documents and media reports.

Her remains were discovered on 8 September 2025 at an impound lot in Hollywood, one day after what would have been her 15th birthday. The Los Angeles County medical examiner has said her body was “severely decomposed” and appeared to have been inside the vehicle “for a prolonged period” before being found.

The teen’s family has not commented publicly since the arrest. Attempts by several outlets, including the New York Times and CBC, to reach relatives have been unsuccessful.

How the case unfolded: a Tesla, a tow yard, and a smell

The trail that led investigators to the musician began with a foul odor at a tow yard.

According to LAPD and court filings:

• A Tesla registered to Burke was towed from the Hollywood Hills in the summer of 2025 after neighbors reported it appeared abandoned.

• The car sat at an impound facility in Hollywood for weeks until workers and nearby residents complained of a strong smell coming from the vehicle.

• On 8 September 2025, police responding to the odor opened the front trunk and found human remains inside a bag.

• The body was later identified as Celeste through forensic and dental records.

In October 2025, the New York Times reported that detectives from LAPD’s Robbery‑Homicide Division had been “probing the circumstances” of the girl’s death for more than a month but had not yet made any arrests. The coroner initially listed the cause of death as “deferred,” meaning the manner in which she died remained under investigation.

By November, police had searched a Hollywood rental home linked to Burke, carrying out a laptop and other items, according to local TV footage cited in entertainment‑news coverage. In February this year, filings in a Texas court revealed that his parents and brother were resisting subpoenas from a Los Angeles County grand jury, confirming that the musician was now formally considered a suspect.

Lawyers push back, saying he “didn’t kill” the girl

Attorneys for Burke have begun to respond publicly, insisting that the arrest does not prove guilt and arguing that he “didn’t kill” Celeste.

In statements carried by US outlets, his legal team has:

• Expressed condolences to the victim’s family while denying that their client murdered her.

• Criticized what they call “trial by media,” pointing to the viral spread of details about the case and Burke’s lyrics.

• Said they will contest any charges and urged the public to reserve judgment until all the evidence can be tested in court.

Police and prosecutors have declined to discuss specific evidence beyond the discovery of Celeste’s remains in Burke’s Tesla, citing the ongoing investigation and grand jury secrecy rules.

A rising career now overshadowed

Before the case, d4vd had been one of the most prominent DIY success stories of the streaming era. The Houston‑born artist built an audience on TikTok and gaming platforms, recording songs in his sister’s closet, and turning “Romantic Homicide” into a platinum‑certified hit that climbed the Billboard charts.

He signed with a major label, toured internationally, and cultivated a moody, introspective persona that resonated with teenage fans. In a detail widely cited since the arrest, one line from “Romantic Homicide”, “In the back of my mind, I killed you”, has been replayed in TV packages and social media posts, though investigators have not suggested the lyrics are evidence of wrongdoing.

Since news of his detention broke, streaming services have seen a sharp spike in searches for his music, even as some radio stations and playlists have quietly reduced or removed his songs while they monitor developments. Label representatives have not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Coverage and ethical questions

The grisly nature of the allegations, combined with Burke’s youth and online following, has made the case a global story, and raised familiar questions about how media and fans should respond when a rising star is implicated in serious crime.

Outlets such as the BBC, CBC and Al Jazeera have emphasized that Burke has been arrested on suspicion of murder, not convicted, and that under US law he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Legal experts quoted in American coverage have warned against conflating the presence of the victim’s remains in his car with proof he committed the killing, noting that prosecutors will need to establish how Celeste died, when, and what role, if any, he played.

At the same time, child‑safety advocates say the case highlights the vulnerability of teenagers drawn into celebrity circles and online fandoms, urging parents to pay closer attention to who their children interact with, both on social media and in real life.

What happens next

In the coming days, detectives are expected to forward their case file to the Los Angeles County District Attorney, who will decide whether to file murder or related charges, seek additional investigation, or decline to prosecute at this stage. If charges are filed, Burke would likely make an initial court appearance in downtown Los Angeles, where a judge would read the counts, review bail, currently set at none, and set dates for further hearings.

Separately, the grand jury that has already subpoenaed his family could continue to hear testimony, potentially issuing its own indictment. Court records show that at least one Texas judge has already ordered relatives to cooperate, rejecting arguments that the subpoenas were overly broad or intrusive.

For Celeste’s relatives, the arrest brings a measure of movement in a case that has been stalled for months, but no closure. For Burke and his supporters, it marks a precipitous fall from online stardom into the most serious kind of legal jeopardy, the kind that will ultimately be decided far from TikTok feeds and streaming charts, in a courtroom where the only algorithm that matters is the one written into criminal law.