Human remains were discovered in the trunk of a Tesla after someone at a Hollywood tow yard reported a stench coming from the vehicle. (KTLA)Human Remains Found in Tesla Registered to D4vd
Los Angeles police responded to a Hollywood tow yard on September 8, 2025, after workers reported a foul odor coming from an impounded Tesla. Officers found decomposed human remains in the vehicle's front trunk. The Tesla was registered to musician David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd.
The discovery initially raised far more questions than investigators could answer. At that stage, authorities had not publicly identified the deceased person, determined a cause of death, or established who was responsible. D4vd was not charged with a crime when the remains were first discovered.
The case later developed substantially. Police identified the deceased as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a teenage girl who had previously been reported missing. In a September 29, 2025 statement, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that Rivas Hernandez's body had been found in the front trunk area of Burke's Tesla and said the vehicle had been parked at the location from which it was towed for several weeks.
What Investigators Knew in September 2025
Early reporting described the remains as badly decomposed, making identification and the determination of a cause and manner of death more difficult. The condition of the body also meant that some claims circulating in the first days of the investigation could not immediately be confirmed.
LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division eventually took responsibility for the investigation. Importantly, police cautioned in September 2025 that the medical examiner had not yet determined the cause or manner of Rivas Hernandez's death. LAPD said at the time that it remained unclear whether there was criminal culpability beyond concealment of the body.
That distinction matters because the presence of a body in a vehicle, even under highly suspicious circumstances, did not by itself establish who caused the death. Investigators still needed forensic evidence, medical findings and other records before prosecutors could make criminal allegations.
D4vd Initially Continued Touring, Then Shows Were Canceled
In the immediate aftermath of the discovery, representatives for D4vd said he was cooperating with authorities. He continued performing briefly and appeared in Minneapolis on September 9, one day after the body was found.
However, the situation changed as the investigation expanded and authorities identified the deceased. By September 19, multiple remaining dates on D4vd's "Withered" tour, including scheduled performances in San Francisco and Los Angeles, had been canceled. Other planned international dates were subsequently removed or canceled as well.
That later development corrects the early impression that the entire tour would continue unchanged. The initial continuation of performances reflected only the situation during the first days of the investigation.
Victim Identified as Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Authorities identified the remains as those of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. LAPD later said investigators believed she may have been dead for several weeks before the discovery because Burke's vehicle had remained parked for an extended period before it was towed.
Police also addressed inaccurate or unverified reporting that emerged as public interest in the case grew. In a November 25, 2025 statement, LAPD specifically said Rivas Hernandez's body had not been frozen when it was discovered and that she had not been decapitated. Detectives said they were continuing to investigate the case and had not drawn conclusions from every lead being examined.
Medical Examiner Rules the Death a Homicide
A major development came on April 22, 2026, when the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner announced that it had determined the cause and manner of Rivas Hernandez's death. According to the official medical examiner statement, she died from multiple penetrating injuries caused by one or more objects, and the manner of death was homicide.
The homicide finding established that her death resulted from the actions of another person, but a medical examiner's ruling does not determine criminal guilt. Responsibility for a homicide must be established through the criminal justice process.
Prosecutors Charge David Anthony Burke in 2026
On April 20, 2026, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Burke in connection with Rivas Hernandez's death. The charges included murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
The District Attorney's Office alleged that Burke killed Rivas Hernandez after she threatened to expose what prosecutors describe as an unlawful sexual relationship. Prosecutors further alleged that he dismembered her body and concealed the remains in his vehicle.
Those assertions are prosecution allegations, not established facts. Burke has pleaded not guilty, and he is presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Judge Orders Burke to Stand Trial
The criminal case moved forward after a preliminary hearing in July 2026. Prosecutors presented witnesses and evidence they say connect Burke to Rivas Hernandez's death and to the concealment and dismemberment of her remains.
On July 27, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge found sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, prosecutors alleged that Rivas Hernandez went to Burke's Hollywood Hills residence on April 23, 2025, and was not seen alive afterward.
Prosecutors also alleged that Burke later purchased items including chainsaws, a body bag and an inflatable pool, and that forensic testing linked blood recovered from his garage to Rivas Hernandez. They further said pieces of blue plastic recovered with her remains were consistent with material from a pool Burke allegedly purchased.
A preliminary-hearing ruling does not establish guilt. It means a judge concluded that prosecutors presented enough evidence for the charges to be tried.
Charges, Defense and Presumption of Innocence
Burke faces serious criminal allegations, including special-circumstance allegations connected to the murder charge. Prosecutors have said a conviction could expose him to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or, depending on later decisions in the case, the death penalty.
Burke has pleaded not guilty. In August 2026, his private attorneys withdrew and the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office assumed his defense. The case therefore remains unresolved, and allegations concerning his motive, actions and relationship with Rivas Hernandez must be treated as allegations unless established in court.
Why the Early Investigation Looked So Different
The progression of the case illustrates why early crime reporting can change significantly as forensic work, search warrants, digital records and witness testimony accumulate. When the body was discovered in September 2025, authorities had limited information available publicly and had not determined even the cause of death.
By April 2026, the medical examiner had classified the death as a homicide and prosecutors had filed criminal charges. By July, a judge had heard preliminary evidence and ordered Burke to stand trial. Those later developments provide important context, but they should not be presented as information investigators possessed on the day the remains were found.
D4vd's Career Before the Case
D4vd rose to prominence through songs that gained large audiences on TikTok and streaming platforms. His breakout tracks included "Romantic Homicide" and "Here With Me," and his growing profile led to a record deal and an international touring schedule.
His rise parallels other celebrity-involved investigations that have captured public attention, including recent high-profile cases involving public figures.
The criminal proceedings dramatically interrupted that trajectory. Although he initially continued touring after the discovery, scheduled performances were canceled as the investigation intensified. His criminal case is now separate from questions about his former touring and recording career.
What Remains Unresolved
As of September 2026, the central criminal allegations against Burke have not been decided at trial. Prosecutors have outlined their theory of the case and presented enough evidence at a preliminary hearing for the prosecution to continue, while Burke has entered a not-guilty plea.
The case is being prosecuted as Los Angeles County Superior Court case 26CJCF02399 and remains connected to the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division investigation. Future hearings will determine how the evidence is litigated and whether prosecutors can prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
The distinction between what investigators knew in September 2025 and what authorities later established or alleged is essential: the original discovery initiated the investigation, the medical examiner later ruled the death a homicide, prosecutors subsequently accused Burke of committing the killing, and the ultimate question of criminal guilt remains for the court process.
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