A musician has been arrested in connection with the brutal case of a missing teenager whose dismembered remains were discovered in his car nearly seven months earlier. D4vd, also known as 21-year-old David Anthony Burke, was taken into custody by officers in the Hollywood Hills on 16 April as part of an ongoing investigation into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
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The arrest took place after police had been investigating Burke since the discovery of Hernandez’s remains in the trunk of his impounded Tesla in September 2025. Law enforcement officials have not yet filed formal charges against Burke, but the case is set to be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges later this month. The investigation has prompted questions about the circumstances leading to the girl’s tragic death.
Legal expert Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, has suggested that the delay in filing charges could be due to the need for forensic analysis to determine the cause of Hernandez’s death. As of now, that information remains confidential after a request to seal her autopsy findings was granted. Rahmani noted that ensuring the cooperation of potential witnesses could also be a factor in the timing of the case.
The artist’s legal team has insisted on Burke’s innocence, stating he has been detained solely on suspicion. His attorneys, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, released a statement asserting that their client was “not the cause” of Hernandez’s death and pledged to vigorously contest any claims against him. They characterised his current status as one of suspicion rather than a formal charge.
According to Rahmani, there is speculation that the defence might argue that Hernandez’s death was accidental, suggesting that another party could have been responsible for the placement of her remains. The legal complexities surrounding the case are compounded by the fact that the ongoing grand jury investigation did not lead to an indictment, although it has played a pivotal role in the inquiry.
In September 2025, when police investigated the impound lot where Burke’s Tesla had been held, they made a grim discovery of Hernandez’s remains—namely her decomposed head and torso, concealed within a bag in the car’s front trunk. At that time, Burke was reportedly on a North American tour, which he promptly cancelled following the unsettling revelation.
The timeline regarding the child’s death remains uncertain; however, police officials previously stated that Hernandez had likely been deceased “for several weeks” prior to the horrific finding. She had also been reported missing on three occasions in 2024 from Lake Elsinore, California.
Despite the arrest, authorities have not clarified the nature of any connections between D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez, nor have they commented on the tattoo similarities observed between the singer and the victim. These unanswered questions continue to fuel speculation surrounding the circumstances of Hernandez’s demise.
As the investigation moves forward, the public remains eager to learn more details about this heartbreaking case. The forthcoming presentation of the case to the District Attorney’s Office may provide crucial insights that could shape the trajectory of the investigation and the legal proceedings against Burke. Meanwhile, the community mourns the loss of a young life while seeking justice for Celeste Rivas Hernandez.