Los Angeles, CA — The city of angels is grappling with a nightmare. What started as a missing person case over a year ago has become a chilling murder investigation after the body of 15‑year‑old Celeste Rivas was discovered in the front trunk (or “frunk”) of a Tesla registered to singer David Anthony Burke, better known by his stage name d4vd. Authorities are treating the case as a homicide. No arrests have been made, but public outrage, media scrutiny, and legal questions are mounting fast.

Timeline: From Disappearance to Discovery

April 2024: Celeste Rivas, then 13 years old, disappears from Lake Elsinore, Riverside County, Southern California.

During the following months: Her family and local authorities search, issue missing person reports, distribute flyers. Despite efforts, no confirmed sightings emerge.

Late summer 2025: A Tesla registered to d4vd is noticed abandoned in the Hollywood Hills. Neighbors report the car has been parked for over a month.

September 8, 2025: Tow‑lot personnel detect a foul odor from the abandoned Tesla. The vehicle has been towed to an impound lot. Inside the “frunk” or front trunk, in a bag, they find severely decomposed human remains.

Mid‑September 2025: Forensic identification confirms the remains are those of Celeste Rivas. She would be 15 years old at time of death. Authorities have yet to determine the cause or manner of death.

Who Is d4vd, and What Is Known So Far

Singer Profile: David Anthony Burke, known asd4vd, is a 20‑year‑old music artist who rose to fame with viral hits likeRomantic Homicide and Here With Me.

Connection to the Vehicle: The Tesla in question is registered to him. While authorities have not publicly named him a suspect, they report he is cooperating with the investigation.

Matching Tattoos & Personal Links: Notably, Celeste Rivas was reported to have a tattoo on her right index finger that reads “Shhh,” similar to a tattoo d4vd reportedly has. Her mother also stated that Celeste had a boyfriend named David before she disappeared. These facts do not constitute proof of wrongdoing, but they have attracted media attention and speculation.

What the Investigators Know — and Don’t

Condition of the Remains: The body was “severely decomposed”, dismembered, and wrapped in a bag inside the front trunk of the Tesla. Forensic work was needed to confirm identity.

Estimated Time in Vehicle: Authorities believe the remains had been in the vehicle for an extended period of time. The car had been abandoned and parked for weeks in the Hollywood Hills before being towed.

Cause & Manner of Death Unknown: Medical examiner’s office has deferred cause of death pending further analysis. At the moment, no formal cause of death or whether it was accidental or intentional (homicide) has been confirmed publicly.

No Suspects Named as of Yet: Despite the vehicle’s registration and potential personal connections, authorities have not named any suspects, nor have they charged d4vd with any crime in this case.

Repercussions: Tour, Brand Relationships, Public Image

Tour Disruptions: Following the identification, d4vd canceled at least one concert (Seattle). Subsequently, the remainder of his U.S. tour dates have been suspended or removed from ticketing sites. There is uncertainty about some international shows.

Commercial Fallout: Brands that were partnering with d4vd—such as Crocs and Hollister—have pulled back his involvement. Collaborations and promotional materials have been paused or removed.

Public & Media Scrutiny: The discovery has sparked intense media coverage, speculation on social media, and demands for transparency. Some are demanding that authorities investigate how the car ended up where it did, how the body got there, and whether more could have been done to find Celeste earlier.

Legal & Ethical Questions

This case raises numerous questions, both in legal terms and in broader ethical and societal dimensions:

Ownership vs. Involvement: Registration of a vehicle to a person does not, by itself, implicate them in crimes connected with what is found in it. Courts typically require evidence of presence, knowledge, or participation. Authorities have said d4vd is cooperating, which may help clarify ownership, access, and timeline.

Forensic Process: The cause, manner, and time of death are crucial. Were there signs of struggle, external wounds, forensic evidence in the vehicle, fingerprints, DNA? All such evidence will guide whether this becomes a homicide case and who could be liable.

Duty & Neglect: If someone had knowledge of a missing teen, or evidence thereof, what was done by law enforcement or community? People are asking whether more could have been done to locate Celeste, and whether vehicle abandonment or neglect by property or city services contributed to delay in discovery.

Media Presumption & Reputation: Public opinion and media reporting often rush ahead of legal determinations. This case involves a popular artist; accusations and speculation can damage lives even if no wrongdoing is proven. Balancing the public’s right to know with the presumption of innocence is tricky.

Community & Family Impact

For Celeste Rivas’s family, the identification of her remains provides painful closure, but not peace. Many unanswered questions linger about how she disappeared, how she died, and how long she suffered.

The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with burial and funeral expenses.

Community concern is high, especially regarding youth safety, missing teen protocols, and how quickly abandoned vehicles with signs of hazardous content (e.g. foul odor) are acted upon.

What We Don’t Yet Know (But Want To)

The exact cause of death (homicide, accident, natural causes, etc.)

Thetime and circumstances of her disappearance and death: was there any contact after she vanished, any sightings, any evidence she was in the Tesla earlier?

Whether there is any evidence linking d4vd beyond vehicle registration or tattoos—as in, whether he had been in contact with her recently, whether he knew she was missing, etc.

Who else had access to the vehicle, whether the car was loaned, parked by someone else, etc.

Details from the home search warrant served in Hollywood Hills—what was seized, what clues were collected.

Bigger Picture: Missing Teens, Forensics, and Social Responsibility

This tragedy is sadly not unique. Cases of missing teens often suffer from delays, miscommunication, underreporting, or public apathy. Some key issues that this case highlights:

Importance of Forensic Identification: Dental records, tattoos, physical identifiers all played a role here. But the state of decomposition complicates matters.

Vehicle Abandonment Laws & Inspection: How long should a parked car with potential dangers (smells, leaking fluids, etc.) be allowed to sit before being towed or inspected? Early detection could prevent delay in discovery of tragedies.

Social Media’s Role: Public interest, social media speculation, and viral posts can both help (e.g., disseminating missing person alerts) and harm (spreading unverified claims).

Mental Health & Youth Protection: Celeste was a young teenager; issues of supervision, online interactions, housing, and youth safety become central concerns.

What Comes Next Legally & Investigatively

The medical examiner’s full report will be crucial: cause of death, time of death, manner of death.

LAPD’s homicide division is reportedly involved; search warrants have been executed at a residence associated with d4vd as part of evidence gathering.

If evidence emerges implicating someone, whether d4vd or another, authorities may bring charges. Right now, publicly, no such action has been announced.

Civil and reputational consequences may be substantial for d4vd, depending on how the evidence unfolds.

Conclusion

The discovery of Celeste Rivas’s body in a Tesla registered to d4vd has shocked many. A girl who went missing as a child has been found under terrible circumstances, and though her family now has identity confirmation, they — and the public — still await answers: who is responsible, how it happened, and how to ensure justice is served.

At this stage, much remains uncertain. Authorities are moving forward with forensic work, vehicle and home searches, and interviews. In the court of public opinion, the case already raises difficult questions around celebrity, innocence, presumption of guilt, and how quickly we assign blame.

>This is a developing story, one that may take time before all facts are clear. But Celeste’s story must also serve as a call: for better protection of vulnerable youth, for prompt action when warning signs arise, and for clarity and truth when tragedy strikes.