D4vd, the 21-year-old singer born David Anthony Burke, has been arrested and held without bail on a murder charge in connection with the death of 14-year-oldCeleste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was discovered in the trunk of a vehicle registered to him in September 2025.
The arrest took place on 16 April at a residence in Hollywood Hills, where Los Angeles Police Department officers from the Robbery-Homicide Division carried out a coordinated operation. The case will be presented to the District Attorney's office for filing consideration.
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The LAPDconfirmed the arreston their official X account, stating: 'Detectives from Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division have arrested David Burke, a 21-year-old resident of Los Angeles, for the murder of Celeste Rivas. Burke is being held without bail.' LAPD Captain Scot Williams confirmed Burke was taken into custody shortly after 4:30 pm and booked into the LAPD 77th Street Station jail at 10:12 pm.
The LAPD also releasedphotos of the operation, showing members of the Robbery Homicide and Gang and Narcotics divisions approaching the Hollywood Hills property in tactical gear and carrying rifles. Video footage obtained by TMZ shows the scale of the armed presence, with multiple vehicles stationed outside the property and an officer warning, 'If you attempt to flee or resist, you will be struck... and you will sustain injuries,' as they entered the premises.
The case first emerged in September 2025, when authorities responded to reports of a foul odour coming from a vehicle registered to D4vd. Upon inspection, officers discovered Hernandez's body in the trunk. At the time, the singer was reportedly on tour in Minnesota and initially cooperated with investigators. He has consistently denied any involvement in the teenager's death. Despite this, the discovery triggered a months-long investigation that would eventually centre on him as a key suspect.
The vehicle was impounded and examined as part of the forensic investigation, according to court records.
Details surrounding the relationship between D4vd and Hernandez have added a complex human dimension to the case. Family members stated that the two had been spending time together prior to her disappearance. Hernandez's mother reportedly referred to a boyfriend named 'David', while her brother claimed the singer picked her up in aTeslathe night before she went missing. The pair allegedly went on a cinema date, marking the last confirmed sighting before she disappeared.
Online activity has also come under scrutiny. According to IBTimes reporting, shortly after Hernandez went missing, D4vdposted about being in a 'song crisis' on Discord. When another user referenced 'the missing girl Celeste Rivas Hernandez', no reply was recorded. These details have intensified public interest as investigators work to piece together the final hours before the teenager's death.
The investigation gained momentum in late 2025, with a search warrant executed at the singer's residence. A private investigator later reported finding a 'burn cage' incinerator on the property, though its relevance to the case remains under examination.
Source: International Business Times UK
