Authorities have identified the decomposed body discovered in singer D4vd’s impounded Tesla as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, who had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, in 2024.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the identity of Rivas through forensic analysis on Wednesday, though the cause of death remains “deferred” pending further investigation. The grim discovery was made on 8 September when employees at Hollywood Tow reported a foul odour emanating from a Tesla Model Y that had been at the impound lot for two days.
Police found the teenager’s remains wrapped in a bag inside the vehicle’s front trunk, commonly known as a “frunk.” The Tesla, registered to 20-year-old singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, had been towed after being reported abandoned on a public street in the Hollywood Hills area.
Rivas was last seen on 5 April 2024 in Lake Elsinore, approximately 68 miles southeast of Los Angeles, when she was 13 years old. According to missing person posters circulated at the time, she was wearing grey trousers, a black jumper, and Hello Kitty sandals when she vanished.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department confirmed in a statement: “The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed that Celeste Rivas Hernandez has been identified as the juvenile who was reported missing from Lake Elsinore. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating this incident as a homicide and will be the point of contact for any further details regarding this investigation.”
The victim’s mother told TMZ that when news emerged of body parts being found in the vehicle, she immediately feared it might be her daughter. She revealed to the outlet that Rivas had previously mentioned having a boyfriend named David and noted similarities between a tattoo description provided by police – the word “Shhh” on the right index finger – and markings her daughter had.
Matthew Rivas, the victim’s brother, told NBC Los Angeles that family members were aware his sister knew the singer. He said when she disappeared, she was meant to be going to see a film with him but never returned.
A spokesman for D4vd confirmed the artist has been “fully cooperating” with law enforcement throughout the investigation. The singer, who shot to fame in 2022 after his singles “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me” went viral on TikTok, has not been charged with any crimes or named as a person of interest by police.
The Los Angeles Police Department stated: “At this time, the LAPD does not have a crime classification from the coroner as to the mode or manner of death. Thus, we do not have any suspect information at this time.”
Burke cancelled his scheduled performance in Seattle on Wednesday as part of his “Withered” world tour following news of the identification. It remains unclear whether he will proceed with upcoming tour dates, including a performance scheduled for Saturday at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
On Wednesday evening, LAPD investigators executed a search at a residence on Doheny Place in Hollywood, close to where the Tesla was abandoned. Officers spent several hours at the property, removing a computer and other items in evidence bags, though police have not confirmed whether or how the search relates to the investigation.
Residents in the area where the vehicle was found told Rolling Stone magazine that the Tesla had been moved on multiple occasions over the past three months before ultimately being reported as abandoned.
The medical examiner described the victim as approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 71 pounds, with dark wavy hair. She was found wearing a tube top, black leggings, a metal stud earring, and a yellow metal chain bracelet.
In the wake of the discovery, fashion brands Hollister and Crocs removed all promotional content featuring Burke. The companies had recently announced him as the face of their “Dream Drop” collaboration, but his image has been cropped from all product photographs following news of the investigation.
Burke, who boasts 3.8 million followers on TikTok and over 33 million monthly listeners on Spotify, signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records following his viral success on social media. The Texas-born artist released his debut album “Withered” in April 2025.
The investigation remains ongoing, with LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division leading the case. Police have urged anyone with information to come forward whilst cautioning against speculation on social media that could prejudice the investigation.
A spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office confirmed that determining the exact cause and manner of death may take several weeks pending toxicology results and further forensic analysis.
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