Rapper D4vd Arrested in Connection with Teen's Murder; Remains Found in Singer's Abandoned Tesla Singer and TikTok star D4vd, legally David Burke, has been arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Her remains were discovered in the front storage compartment of an abandoned Tesla registered to the artist in the Hollywood Hills. Burke's attorneys maintain his innocence, while authorities are preparing to present the case to the District Attorney's office. The remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who disappeared in the Lake Elsinore area in 2024, were discovered in the front storage compartment of an abandoned Tesla. This vehicle was registered to the singer and TikTok star known as D4vd. Detectives were observed exiting a residence with evidence boxes following the apprehension of the artist. Robert Kovacik reported for NBC4 News on Thursday, April 16, 2026. The Tesla was impounded after it was reported as abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where it had reportedly been parked for over a month. D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke and who is 21 years old, was arrested on Thursday in connection with the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The teenager was last seen alive approximately a year prior to the discovery of her decomposed remains within the trunk of the singer's abandoned Tesla, as reported by multiple law enforcement sources to NBC4 Investigates. This significant development in the ongoing investigation follows D4vd being identified by authorities in November of the previous year as a suspect linked to the death of the 14-year-old Southern California girl. Celeste's remains were found in September 2025 within the front storage area of a Tesla registered to the singer at his family's Texas address. The vehicle had been towed from a Hollywood Hills neighborhood, not far from a rental property where Burke had been residing, after it was seemingly abandoned and parked for an extended period. Burke was taken into custody at a residence on Marmont Avenue in the Hollywood Hills shortly after 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, based on a probable cause warrant, without incident, according to law enforcement sources. Attorneys for Burke stated their intention to "vigorously defend David’s innocence." In a statement released Thursday evening after his arrest, his legal representatives, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, asserted, "Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death." They further emphasized that "there has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion." The authorities had not publicly named Burke as a suspect until his arrest. Police explained that they meticulously followed the evidence and took care not to jeopardize the investigation, which accounted for the several months that passed between the discovery of Celeste's body and the arrest. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that the singer was arrested in Hollywood Hills on Thursday afternoon without incident. The case is slated to be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office on Monday for a determination on filing charges. The DA's office acknowledged awareness of the arrest and confirmed that prosecutors would review the facts and evidence to ascertain if sufficient grounds exist to pursue charges. Following Burke's arrest, NBC4 reporters visited the neighborhood where Celeste's family resides and spoke with a neighbor, Kayleigh Cortez, who had initiated a memorial for the teenager. Cortez expressed, "I started a memorial for her because she deserves justice, and it's been 220 days." Upon hearing of the arrest, she added, "And when I heard the news today that he was finally arrested, I just got chills." Around 9 p.m. Thursday, detectives were observed leaving the site of the arrest carrying evidence boxes from within the house. NBC4 reporters attempted to make contact at the residence, but received no answer. Police indicated that Rivas Hernandez's death likely occurred in the spring of the previous year. Rivas Hernandez, who went missing in the Lake Elsinore area in 2024, was positively identified through forensic analysis. She was last seen alive in the western Riverside County community. Rivas Hernandez was a 13-year-old seventh grader when her family reported her missing, though court documents indicate her age as 14 at the time of her death. The discovery of the remains was prompted by workers at Hollywood Tow who reported a strong odor emanating from the Tesla registered to the singer. Upon opening the front trunk, also known as a frunk, officers found the remains contained within two cadaver bags, as detailed in LA County grand jury documents made public following a hearing in a Texas court. These documents, which included subpoenas for the testimony of Burke’s mother, father, and brother, further revealed that Celeste’s remains were not intact. The singer, D4vd, has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found in a Tesla last September. Law enforcement sources informed NBC4 Investigates that D4vd, legally David Burke, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon and was scheduled to make an initial court appearance in Los Angeles on Monday. The Tesla in question was impounded by LA parking enforcement officers after a report of it being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where residents stated it had been parked for over a month. The singer, known for his song Romantic Homicide, was on his world tour in Minneapolis at the time of the discovery, with a subsequent stop planned in Kansas City the following day