Hollywood, California – A horrifying story is rocking the entertainment world and capturing the attention of millions, as the decomposed body of a teenage girl was discovered inside a Tesla registered to one of today’s fastest-rising music stars, D4vd. The case surrounding David Anthony Burke, professionally known as D4vd, and the tragic death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, is not just a criminal investigation but has become a terrifying labyrinth of mystery, rumors, and chilling evidence that has sent the internet and media into a frenzy.

A Horrific Discovery Shakes Hollywood

The incident began on September 8, 2025, when a Tesla reported as abandoned on a street in Hollywood, California, was towed to the Hollywood Tow impound lot. Initially, it was a routine occurrence in a major city. However, once the car arrived at the lot, employees began to notice a horrific, foul odor emanating from the front trunk (frunk)—a feature of Teslas and some other electric vehicles. The police were immediately called to the scene.

What they found upon opening the frunk ignited an unprecedented investigation. Inside were human body parts in a severe state of decomposition, wrapped in plastic. Police identified a head and torso, so decomposed they were nearly unrecognizable. When they ran the vehicle’s registration, the owner’s identity was shocking: it was David Anthony Burke, the burgeoning young music artist D4vd. Overnight, a routine tow spiraled into international headlines, becoming one of the most unbelievable cases of the year, if not recent history.

On September 16, the coroner’s office confirmed the victim’s identity as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl who had been missing since April 2024. Celeste was born on September 7, 2010, and would have turned 15 the very day before her body was found. She lived in Lake Elsinore, California, and was described as a sweet, intelligent, hardworking, but rather shy and quiet girl—a normal teenager with her whole life ahead of her.

From Social Media Star to Center of an Investigation

D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was born on March 28, 2005, in Queens, New York. He grew up as a regular kid, moving to Houston, Texas, at age 13. From a young age, he was passionate about video games, especially Fortnite, and frequently created videos on YouTube. His music career began out of a simple need: to avoid copyright strikes for using background music in his gaming clips. He began writing his own music, and unexpectedly, his compositions went viral on social media, especially TikTok. His song “Romantic Homicide” became a phenomenon, charting on the Billboard Top 100 and putting him on the global music map.

Despite his rapid rise to fame, D4vd always maintained a private personal life. He was known as a polite, soft-spoken individual focused on his music, staying clear of scandals—until now. He had signed with major record labels like Darkroom and Interscope Records, collaborated with famous artists, and even had his music featured in the Netflix animated series Arcane. He was not just a TikTok sensation but a genuine talent recognized by the industry. However, everything changed when the Tesla registered in his name became a horrific crime scene.

The Life and Disappearance of Celeste Hernandez

Before her body was found, Celeste Hernandez had gone missing once before in February 2024, on Valentine’s Day. Missing person posters appeared all over Lake Elsinore, but she was eventually found and returned home. However, details of where she was during that time were never released. Just a few months later, in April 2024, Celeste disappeared again, and this time, she did not return. Her mother reported to the police that Celeste was dating someone named David at the time she went missing.

A key detail that helped identify Celeste was a unique tattoo of “shh…” on the inner side of her right index finger. This tattoo, though popular among young people, became the crucial clue that allowed her family to identify her and investigators to confirm the decomposed remains were hers.

The Escalating Investigation and Suspicious Actions

After Celeste was officially identified, on September 17, the LAPD executed a search warrant at a house in the Hollywood Hills, about a block and a half from where the Tesla had been towed. Although D4vd did not own the house (it was leased under his manager’s name), neighbors confirmed he had been staying there. The search lasted 12 hours, with crime scene technicians seizing computers, evidence bags, and using luminol—a chemical that glows when it comes in contact with traces of blood. Although police have not confirmed if blood was found inside the home, the seizure of evidence and the scale of the search indicated the seriousness of the investigation.

Just days after the search, D4vd broke his lease and moved out. While no official reason was given, the move was widely seen as suspicious. A spokesperson for D4vd’s team stated on September 19 that he was “fully cooperating with the authorities.” However, on that very same day, D4vd’s entire U.S. tour was canceled, and his international tour dates in Europe and Australia were also removed or marked as canceled. His record label also pulled all advertisements and promotions and shelved the release of his deluxe album. Major brands like Crocs and Hollister quickly cut ties with D4vd, despite him not being named an official suspect. This swift action from the industry raised questions about the extent of his involvement.

Chilling Theories from the Online Community

With silence from the police and D4vd, the online community began its own investigation, leading to numerous theories and “unofficial” evidence:

A Secret Relationship Gone Wrong: The most popular theory suggests that D4vd and Celeste were in a secret relationship for months, possibly starting in October 2022 when Celeste was only 12 and D4vd was 17. Many believe they met on Discord servers related to gaming and music (D4vd was an avid Fortnite player). Alleged screenshots of Discord messages show intimate, even flirty conversations using real names instead of usernames. This theory posits that something happened—an argument, an accident—and instead of seeking help, it escalated into a gruesome cover-up.
Celeste Discovered a Dark Secret: A darker theory suggests that Celeste may have found out something she shouldn’t have known about D4vd’s personal life, his management team, or his music business. This information could have put her in danger, and her death was a means to protect reputations. The fact that D4vd’s manager was the lessee of the searched house adds weight to this theory, opening up the possibility of more people being involved.
The Pregnancy Theory (Unconfirmed): A very heavy theory, completely without evidence from law enforcement, suggests that Celeste may have been pregnant. If true, this could have posed a serious threat to D4vd’s image and rising career, as well as severe legal repercussions. Although there were rumors of infant remains found near D4vd’s home, these have been debunked by Annie Elise (the video’s host) as being unrelated to this case.
A Horrific Coincidence: Some argue that all this “evidence” is merely a series of coincidences, and that the online community is connecting unrelated pieces of information to create a conspiracy theory because of the shocking nature of the case.

“Evidence” from Internet Sleuths

The online community has scrutinized every detail of D4vd’s and Celeste’s lives, presenting the following “unofficial” evidence:

Suspicious Twitch Livestreams: Fans claim to have seen a girl believed to be Celeste in D4vd’s Twitch livestreams. For instance, in January 2024, a girl was seen on camera with D4vd, and he allegedly asked his moderators to delete all videos after the stream ended. In February 2024, Celeste was rumored to be sitting behind D4vd, hiding under a blanket. In November 2023, D4vd accidentally read a Discord notification from Celeste’s account aloud, then panicked and clicked away.
Disappearing Content: Many of D4vd’s old livestreams and Celeste’s Instagram posts mysteriously disappeared after the case came to light. Although Celeste’s family claimed the police requested the posts be archived, many suspect it was an attempt to hide evidence. Similarly, some of D4vd’s posts that included Celeste also vanished.
Haunting Lyrics and Music Videos: Fans have revisited D4vd’s songs like “Romantic Homicide” and “One More Time.” The lyrics “In the back of my mind I killed you and I didn’t even regret it” from “Romantic Homicide” now carry a new, chilling meaning. Most notably, the music video for “One More Time” (released in early 2025) shows a blindfolded D4vd dragging a body and putting it in the trunk of a car, just seven months before Celeste’s body was found in his Tesla. A recently leaked song titled “Celeste” with lyrics alluding to the victim has only added to the horror.
Disturbing Live Imagery: At some of D4vd’s recent performances, fans reported that he brought a casket onto the stage, sometimes with a funeral director present, creating a morbid and eerie atmosphere that is seen as “artistic” but deeply disturbing in the current context.
Matching Tattoos: Both D4vd and Celeste allegedly had the same small “shh…” tattoo on their right index finger. While a popular design, this coincidence is seen by many as a sign of a deep, personal connection.
The “Second Celeste”: Another bizarre and shocking theory suggests D4vd may have befriended a 23-year-old woman named Celeste Hernandez, who bears a striking resemblance to the younger victim, to use as a cover. This woman appeared in D4vd’s recent livestreams, even wearing a Gap hoodie identical to the one in Celeste’s missing person photo, fueling suspicions of a complex cover-up.

An Uncertain Future

As of now, Celeste Hernandez’s cause of death is still listed as “deferred” by the medical examiner, indicating that more time is needed to complete testing. No arrests have been made, and D4vd has not been officially named a suspect, though he is cooperating with the police.

While theories continue to circulate and be dissected online, in Lake Elsinore, the community has focused on remembering Celeste. A vigil was held where friends, family, and even strangers gathered with candles and flowers to create a memorial. The story of a 14-year-old girl whose life was tragically and brutally cut short remains the heart of this case.

The D4vd and Celeste Hernandez case is a complex and tragic story, filled with unanswered questions. Is D4vd a victim of horrific coincidence, or is he hiding a dark secret? The answer still lies in the gray area between fact and speculation, waiting for the day it will be fully brought to light.