American singer D4vd was arrested on Thursday for the suspected murder of a 14 year old girl. Her body was found in his car more than seven months ago.
The Los Angeles Police Department said the 21 year old, whose real name is David Anthony Burke is being held without bail.
The case involves the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a teenager from Lake Elsinore in California’s Riverside County. Her badly decomposed body was found on 8 September 2025 in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.
The car had been towed to a lot in Los Angeles after people reported a foul smell coming from it. Investigators reportedly found remains in two black bags inside the vehicle.
Police arrested Burke at a property on Marmont Avenue in the Hollywood Hills shortly after 4:30 pm local time.
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The LAPD said it will present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday so prosecutors can decide whether to file formal charges. No grand jury indictment has been returned and no criminal complaint has been filed yet.
Burke’s lawyers were quick to deny the claims. Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter said in a statement that “David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.”
Rivas had been reported missing three times in the last year of her life. She last spoke to her family in May 2024. Surveillance footage and digital records showed she was still alive as late as January 2025.
The investigation had been going on for months. A grand jury process reportedly heard from several witnesses through early 2026.
Burke became famous on TikTok, where he gained millions of followers. He was best known for songs like Romantic Homicide and Here With Me. His Withered world tour was cut short after the discovery.
Remaining shows in the United States and Europe were cancelled. Promotion of his debut album’s deluxe edition was also put on hold.
The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has reportedly been looking at filing a civil lawsuit against the LAPD.
They say the department has not been open enough about the investigation. The case is expected to move forward once prosecutors go through the evidence next week.
