The investigation into the death of Celeste Rivas has taken another dramatic turn. Five months after the teenager's remains were discovered inside a Tesla registered to rising singer,D4vd, a newly surfaced court document has raised the possibility that formal charges may soon follow.
The shocking detail comes in the form of a footnote buried within a habeas corpus ruling, which referencesThe People of the State of California v. David Burke. Legal experts say this could mark the beginning of a criminal case against the 20-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke.
Rivas was found in the trunk of D4vd's Tesla parked at aLos Angelesimpound when employees complained of a foul smell coming out of the vehicle. This prompted an investigation in which police found the remains of the 14-year-old Rivas, who had been missing for over a year.
By November 2025, the singer had been formallyidentified as a suspect. On 29 December 2025, TMZ broke the news thatD4vd is 'likely' to be indictedin connection with themurderof Rivas, though no charges have yet been filed.
On 22 January 2026, D4vd's close friend,Neo Langston, was arrested for failing to appear as a witness before a Los Angeles grand jury. He was later released on a bond of approximately £44,000 ($60,000).Langston appeared before the grand jury, and his testimony reportedly lasted only 30 to 40 minutes.
Reports indicate that prosecutors have subpoenaed D4vd's parents and brother to testify before the grand jury.
The family attempted to block the summons by filing habeas corpus petitions in a Texas court, arguing that their due process rights were being violated. However, those petitions were recently denied, requiring them to comply.
Private investigator Steve Fischer, hired by the owner of theHollywoodHills property that D4vd had been renting for approximately £15,700 ($20,000) per month, shared the habeas corpus ruling on X. He wrote, 'David Burke's father filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, claiming that a summons ordering him to testify in California violates his due process rights (he lives in Texas).'
He highlighted a footnote he saw on the documents: 'The footnote in the ruling states: "The underlying case is The People of the State of California v. David Burke". That footnote ... is especially significant to me and could signal we are getting close to the beginning of justice for Celeste.'
David Burke’s father filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, claiming that a summons ordering him to testify in California violates his due process rights (he lives in Texas). The footnote in the ruling states: “The underlying case is The People of the State of California…pic.twitter.com/i5nOGQPPU7
Source: International Business Times UK
