The decomposing body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, reported missing from Lake Elsinore in 2024, was discovered on September 8, 2025, inside the front trunk of a Tesla parked at an impound lot in Hollywood, Los Angeles. The vehicle, registered to 20-year-old R&B singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, had been abandoned on a Hollywood street two days earlier. Police were called after a foul odor prompted an inspection — and what they found sent shockwaves through the music world and the community. No arrests have been made as of November 20, 2025, but sources confirm Burke is now a suspect in a homicide investigation led by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

How a Tesla Led to a Cold Case Reopened

The case had gone cold for over a year. Celeste vanished from her home in Riverside County in late 2024, and though her family and local authorities searched, no trace turned up. Then, on September 6, 2025, a Tesla was spotted parked illegally on a quiet Hollywood street, its windows fogged, doors unlocked. A passerby reported it to city services, and it was towed to an impound lot. Two days later, a worker noticed the smell — sharp, unnatural, unmistakable. Inside the front trunk, wrapped in plastic and partially buried under debris, was Celeste’s body. Her remains were in an advanced state of decomposition, and investigators quickly determined she had been dead for weeks, possibly months.

What made this case so chilling wasn’t just the location — it was the vehicle. A Tesla isn’t just any car. It’s a high-tech machine with cameras, sensors, and GPS logs. The fact that the body was hidden in the front trunk — a space most people don’t even think to check — suggests deliberate planning. And the timing? Celeste disappeared in 2024. Her body was found in September 2025. That’s a gap of at least 15 months. How did she end up in a car registered to a rising pop star 200 miles away?

Who Is D4vd — And Why Won’t He Talk?

David Anthony Burke, 20, has built a cult following online with moody R&B tracks and a cinematic aesthetic. His 2023 EP “In the Dark” went viral on TikTok. He’s played sold-out shows in Los Angeles and New York. To fans, he’s an introverted genius. To investigators, he’s a man who hasn’t answered a single call since the Tesla was impounded.

According to a senior LAPD source, Burke has refused to cooperate. He hasn’t submitted to questioning, hasn’t provided an alibi for the time his car was last seen in Lake Elsinore, and hasn’t returned calls from detectives. That silence speaks volumes. In homicide investigations, non-cooperation isn’t proof of guilt — but it’s enough to make someone a person of interest, especially when their property holds the victim’s remains.

And then there’s the dismemberment. The Medical Examiner’s office believes the body was cut apart intentionally, likely with tools, and that it wasn’t done by one person. “This wasn’t a crime of passion,” said an anonymous investigator familiar with the case. “This was a logistics operation.”

More Than One Person Involved?

The LAPD has contacted at least five individuals linked to Burke — former roommates, music collaborators, and people seen near the Tesla in the weeks before it was abandoned. One person, a 21-year-old studio assistant who worked briefly with Burke in early 2024, was questioned in October but released without charges. Investigators are now reviewing surveillance footage from gas stations, parking garages, and even Tesla’s own cloud-based data logs.

Here’s the twist: Tesla’s onboard systems record location data, cabin activity, and even door openings. If the car was driven from Riverside County to Hollywood — and if the trunk was accessed during that trip — that data could be critical. But Tesla doesn’t hand over that information easily. The LAPD has issued a subpoena, but legal battles could delay access for weeks.

What Happens Next?

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to rule on the cause and manner of death. Until that happens, the District Attorney’s Office won’t even consider filing charges. That’s standard procedure — no charges without a clear cause of death. But sources say the medical examiner is finalizing their report and expects to release findings by early December.

“We’re not waiting on the DA,” said one detective. “We’re waiting on the autopsy.”

Meanwhile, Celeste’s family is still waiting. Her mother, Maria Hernandez, gave a brief statement to KTLA 5 in November: “We didn’t give up. We never stopped asking. Now we just want to know why.”

Why This Case Matters

This isn’t just another missing teen case. It’s a collision of celebrity culture, modern technology, and systemic gaps in missing persons response. Celeste was reported missing in 2024 — but because she was 15 and had no prior record, her case didn’t get the same urgency as other missing teens. Her disappearance didn’t trend. No viral hashtags. No TV specials. Just a quiet, unanswered call to 911.

Now, her body is tied to a famous name. Suddenly, the world is watching. And that’s the ugly truth: some lives get noticed only after they’re gone — and only when they’re linked to someone powerful.

For now, the spotlight is on D4vd. But the real question isn’t just whether he did it. It’s who else knew. Who else helped. And why it took over a year to find her.