What evidence links singer d4vd to the death of 15-year-old celeste rivas?
Executive summary
Media reporting and law‑enforcement sources say the decomposed remains of 15‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were discovered in a Tesla registered to singer d4vd on Sept. 8, 2025, and Los Angeles investigators are treating d4vd as a suspect while a grand jury reviews evidence; no criminal charges had been filed as of December 2025 and the medical examiner had not reached a final cause or manner of death [1] [2] [3] [4]. Multiple outlets report investigators recovered videos and photos, executed search warrants at a Hollywood Hills residence associated with d4vd, and are exploring whether others were involved in dismemberment and disposal [5] [6] [4].
1. How the case ties d4vd to Celeste Rivas — the factual chain reported
Authorities found Rivas’ remains inside a Tesla registered to David Anthony Burke (stage name d4vd) after the car was impounded in Los Angeles on Sept. 8; outlets report the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and that investigators believe it had been in the vehicle for weeks prior to discovery [1] [2] [7]. Los Angeles detectives executed search warrants at a Hollywood Hills property where d4vd had stayed and reviewed photos and videos that allegedly show Rivas with the singer, the Los Angeles Times and other outlets report [6] [5].
2. What investigators say about d4vd’s status and conduct
Multiple reports say law enforcement is treating d4vd as a suspect and that investigators have described him as “not cooperating” in some accounts, though no arrests or criminal charges had been announced by December 2025 [8] [9] [2]. A grand jury has been convened in Los Angeles to weigh evidence in the death, and a record‑label executive connected to d4vd testified before that grand jury about why police were not contacted earlier [10] [4].
3. Physical evidence and contested details in reporting
News organizations describe key physical elements: the car was towed from a Hollywood Hills street to an impound lot, and Rivas’ remains were reportedly dismembered and enclosed in bags, prompting an intensive forensic inquiry and a security hold by the county medical examiner [1] [11] [2]. Some outlets and unnamed sources cited by tabloids and local TV describe videos showing graphic conduct (including an account that images depict dismemberment and a bloodied shirt), but reporting varies on provenance and authenticity of those materials and on whether they directly implicate d4vd [5] [1].
4. What is not settled or publicly available
As of the latest reports, the Los Angeles County medical examiner had not released a definitive cause or manner of death and had placed a security hold on autopsy results, and no formal charges had been filed — critical reasons why an official prosecution theory has not been published [2] [11]. Available sources do not mention a public release of forensic timelines tying d4vd to the moment of death, nor do they provide court‑filed charging documents that would spell out a legal case [2] [4].
5. Competing narratives, leaks and misinformation risks
Reporting diverges between mainstream outlets and tabloids. Some sources describe videos and photos that suggest involvement by multiple people and possible dismemberment assistance, while other coverage warns of early false or sensational claims — for example, social posts falsely claimed decapitation early in the story, which outlets later corrected [5] [12]. Media organizations are also relying in places on unnamed law‑enforcement sources and podcast commentary; those sources can shape public perception before an evidence‑based prosecution is filed [4] [12].
6. Legal status and why charges may be delayed
Prosecutors and police repeatedly emphasize forensic work and unresolved autopsy/timing issues; outlets note investigators said they cannot file charges without a confirmed cause and airtight links from forensic and digital evidence [13] [2]. A grand jury review is underway, indicating prosecutors are assembling evidence that could lead to indictment, but a grand jury is also a fact‑finding step — not a finding of guilt [10] [7].
7. What to watch next
Look for any public grand jury disposition or a district attorney filing charges; release of the medical examiner’s cause/manner of death if the current security hold is lifted; and court filings from investigators that would disclose search‑warrant returns and forensic timelines. Until those documents appear, reporting will depend heavily on law‑enforcement sources and media accounts [10] [2] [7].
Limitations: this summary uses only available news reporting and not court records; sources cite unnamed law‑enforcement officials and media leaks, and outlets differ on specific allegations and the strength of digital or forensic links to d4vd [4] [5] [12].