On Sept. 8, 2025, workers at a Hollywood tow yard reported a foul odor emanating from the front trunk of a Tesla. The report led police officers to open up the trunk, unveiling the disturbing discovery of severely decomposed human remains. The body was identified to be 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing since April 5, 2025.
Officials have yet to determine the cause of death, making the case a death investigation and not a homicide investigation. But officials have successfully determined the owner of the Tesla to be David Anthony Burke, aka alternative singer and songwriter D4vd.
D4vd’s mainstream popularity blew up in late 2022 because of the hit song “Romantic Homicide,” which now has 1.7 billion streams on Spotify, contributing to his 16.7 million monthly listeners before the case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Before his popularity, D4vd was an underground artist who had humble beginnings, recording and producing “Romantic Homicide” on his phone.
D4vd’s online, underground audience made it easier for fans to reach out and chat with him as even Loyola students have been able to reach him. Iskandar Arias ’27 learned about D4vd on TikTok in early 2022, and DM’d him to compliment his music, which turned into a brief conversation: “He told me who he got his beats from and thanked me for liking his music.”
In a video, Celeste’s former teacher states that back in 2022, Celeste mentioned meeting D4vd through social media. Since the wake of Celeste’s gruesome death, people on social media have resurfaced clips and screenshots, possibly linking D4vd and Celeste. Many have pointed out that the medical examiner’s report of a tattoo on her right index finger with the words “Shhh,” which eerily matches D4vd’s exact “Shhh” tattoo located on his right index finger.
Clips from D4vd’s interviews have continually resurfaced, such as one with a company called Mahogany. In it, D4vd described his alter ego, Itami, as an “agent of chaos,” an “evil version of me” and a murderer, while he described his “good” persona as a detective, solving Itami’s crimes.
Amidst the onslaught of coverage and backlash D4vd is facing, LAPD has not named him as a person of interest or a suspect despite LAPD searching his home in September. In the aftermath of the publicity, D4vd’s monthly listeners has risen to 30 million in spite of cancelling the tour of his debut album. The investigation is ongoing leaving many fans to speculate and theorize the tragedy.
When asking George Fogarty ’27, a part time TikTok investigator about D4vd’s innocence, he shared, “Imma keep it a buck, he did it bro.” In George’s research he noted, “Comment sections are split on their consensus, once you start digging, you can’t go back.”
Behind all the headlines and theories is the heartbreaking story of a young girl whose life ended far too soon. Celeste’s story is the devastating reminder on how dangerous the internet can become when lives are analyzed because of fame, rumors, and the endless chase for answers. Until the truth finally comes out, what’s left is the sadness of her loss and questions that won’t go away.