TikTok and streaming star d4vd, whose real name is David Burke, 21, was arrested on 16 April 2026 on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered remains were found in the boot of a Tesla vehicle registered to him in Hollywood in September 2025. Burke is being held without bail as the case sends shockwaves through the global music industry.
The arrest came approximately seven months after police discovered Hernandez’s remains inside two black cadaver bags in the frunk, the front storage compartment, of a Tesla that had been impounded at Hollywood Tow after sitting uncollected in the Hollywood Hills for several weeks.
Officers found a decomposed head and torso in one bag, with additional dismembered body parts in a second.
How Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Remains Were Discovered
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was 13 years old when her family reported her missing from their hometown of Lake Elsinore, approximately 113 kilometres southeast of Los Angeles, in 2024. She was reported missing from her seventh-grade school year.
The discovery of her remains on 8 September 2025 came after the Tesla, registered to Burke, was towed to a Hollywood impound lot following weeks of inactivity. The vehicle’s front storage compartment, a feature unique to Tesla models that lack a traditional engine, contained the cadaver bags with Hernandez’s remains.
Investigators subsequently linked the case to Burke, who performs under the stage name d4vd and rose to prominence through TikTok and streaming platforms with his indie-pop sound. He had accumulated millions of followers and a devoted global fanbase before the allegations emerged.
D4vd and the Alleged Victim Had Been in a Relationship
According to multiple reports, d4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been romantically involved in the period before her disappearance. The nature and timeline of their alleged relationship became central to the investigation that preceded his arrest on 16 April 2026.
Burke was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department and is being held without bail. No grand jury indictment or formal criminal complaint had been filed at the time of his arrest, according to statements from his legal team.
Defence Team Maintains Burke Did Not Cause Hernandez’s Death
In a statement issued following the arrest, Burke’s defence attorneys pushed back firmly against the allegations.
“The actual evidence will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death,” Burke’s defence team said in a statement carried by multiple international outlets.
The defence team further noted that “there has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed,” signalling that they intend to contest the basis of the arrest in court proceedings.
As of publication, Burke remains in custody. All allegations against him are unproven, and he is presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of law.
Check out our Deep Dive into the D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez mystery below:
