Los Angeles — A homicide investigation is underway after the decomposed remains of 13-year-old Celeste Rivas were found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to rapper D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, 20. Police said the discovery was made on Sept. 8 in an impounded vehicle at a tow yard in the Hollywood Hills area, near a home Burke had been renting for about a year.
Burke, who was on tour when the vehicle was found, has acknowledged the ongoing investigation and is cooperating with authorities. A representative for Burke said he remains on tour but is fully cooperative with law enforcement. Police have not charged him with any crime, and they have not publicly confirmed a link between Burke and the missing teen.
Celeste Rivas was reported missing in early May 2024 from Lake Elsinore, and authorities said she would have turned 15 the day after her remains were found. The LAPD said the case is being treated as a homicide and that the girl’s body showed signs of extended decomposition, suggesting she had been dead for some time. Her family has described her as bubbly and friendly while acknowledging home-life challenges; relatives have said she had run away on a few occasions in the past.
Investigators are looking into Rivas’s movements in the months before her disappearance and are reviewing online posts and messages that mention a person named David, believed by some to refer to Burke. Family members have provided accounts to local outlets indicating Burke had interactions with Rivas and that she sometimes rode in the Tesla Burke owned. Police have also said they are examining Burke’s travel and communications around the time of the girl’s disappearance.
Rivas’s mother has told media outlets that her daughter had a boyfriend named David and that she bore a tattoo on her right index finger reading “Shh…,” a detail some outlets said matches a tattoo Burke has. Family members have urged privacy as the investigation continues.
Authorities have searched Burke’s properties and other locations linked to him. A Hollywood Hills rental used by Burke was raided, with investigators seen loading bags into an SUV. In Texas, deputies checked a property connected to Burke’s name, though officials said later that the visits were part of routine checks and not search warrants related to the case.
The case has generated broad public interest given Burke’s status as a platinum-selling artist who has drawn attention on social media and in music circles. In the wake of the discovery, Burke’s collaborators and advertisers reacted by removing or pausing projects involving him. Kali Uchis said she would remove her collaboration with Burke from streaming platforms, and Crocs and Hollister pulled Burke’s image from their campaigns following the news.
Authorities have not disclosed a timeline for resolving the investigation or whether additional charges could follow. Burke’s representatives have said he has maintained his tour schedule in recent days and has not commented publicly beyond cooperating with investigators. A GoFundMe was launched to support Rivas’s family, with organizers asking for donations to assist with funeral expenses.
The allegations surrounding Burke and Rivas have circulated widely on social media and in tabloid coverage, but law enforcement officials have urged caution and stressed that the investigation is ongoing. Police have said they have yet to determine how or when Rivas and Burke’s paths crossed beyond the reported May 2024 disappearance and the activities surrounding Burke’s Tesla around that time.
As investigators continue reviewing messages, photos, and possible connections, family members have asked for patience and privacy. The broader entertainment community has watched closely as the case unfolds, with some partners reevaluating their associations amid ongoing inquiries. The public is urged to rely on official statements from the LAPD and related authorities as the investigation progresses.