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D4vd’s Manager Speaks Out Amid Celeste Rivas Hernandez Death Investigation
D4vd has been named in a grand jury murder investigation into the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The "Romantic Homicide" singer (real name David Anthony Burke) was referred to as a "target" of the grand jury case in a court petition for the attendance of an out-of-state witness, according to NBC News.
In the filing obtained by the outlet, a prosecutor said D4vd, a 20-year-old from Texas, "may be involved in the death of 14-year-old victim Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who may have been a victim of foul play."
E! News has reached out to D4vd's rep and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for comment about the petition but hasn't heard back.
In September, decomposing remains belonging to Rivas Hernandez, who was reported missing 2024, were found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to D4vd.
The car, which authorities said was originally reported abandoned in the Hollywood Hills in late August, had been sitting in a Los Angeles impound lot for several days before police were called to the scene over reports of a foul odor emanating from the vehicle.
Upon the gruesome discovery, detectives searched a property near where the car was towed that D4vd—who was on a national tour at the time—had allegedly stayed at prior to leaving town, law enforcement sources with knowledge of the case told ABC News.
In November, D4vd was named a suspect in connection to Rivas Hernandez's death, sources with direct knowledge told NBC4, ABC7 and TMZ.
Though D4vd's rep previously said the musician was "fully cooperating with the authorities," a Los Angeles Police Department source told NBC4 at the time that he had not been cooperative in the investigation.
Antoine Flament/Getty Images
A document issued by an LAPD detective and obtained by the Los Angeles Times in November characterized Rivas Hernandez's case as "an investigation into murder."
As police continue to investigate Rivas Hernandez's death, her family said they were "heartbroken and devastated by this tragic loss."
For more about D4vd and the ongoing investigation into Rivas Hernandez's death, read on.
Instagram/D4vd
Where is D4vd From?
Born in Queens, New York, D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke) moved to Houston, Texas, when he was 13 years old.
Josh Brasted/FilmMagic
How Did D4vd Become Famous?
D4vd first began his career as a streamer, playing Fortnite and other games in an attempt to go viral on YouTube. When he ran into copyright infringement challenges with the music he was adding to his videos in 2021, he turned to his mom.
“I'm like crying to Mom about it,” he told Benny Blanco during an interview for Hero magazine in September 2024. “I'm like, Yo, I don't know what to do I'm not making any money anymore, blah blah blah.’ And she was on a phone, and she was like, ‘Just make your own music, go get out of my face.’ And I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I could probably do that.'"
From there, despite not having any musical experience other than singing for fun, D4vd downloaded an app on his phone and started making music. Soon, some of his songs went viral, and after more of his original music started to go viral on TikTok, his career began to really take off.
The 20-year-old eventually released his debut album, Withered, in April 2025, embarking on his first world tour shortly thereafter.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Riot / Netflix
When Was the Body Found in D4vd’s Car?
On Sept. 8, the Los Angeles Police Department was called to a tow yard in Hollywood over reports of a foul odor coming from a vehicle, law enforcement sources told NBC News.
The LAPD found human remains wrapped in a bag hidden in the front trunk of a Tesla, which was registered in Hempstead, Texas, under D4vd’s real name, David Anthony Burke.
Police said the vehicle had been towed to the impound lot after it was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills.
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Made on YouTube 2024
Who Was the Victim Found in D4vd’s Car?
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office September 16 said the remains found in the Tesla were identified as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been reported missing on April 5, 2024. She was 13 years old at the time of her disappearance.
Her cause of death had been deferred, according to records from the Medical Examiner’s Office viewed by E! News on Sept. 17. Though her date of death was listed as September 8—the day her body was discovered—officials noted her body appeared to have been in the car for an extended period of time before its discovery and was “severely decomposed.”
Erika Goldring/Getty Images
What Has D4vd Said About the Investigation?
Following the discovery of Rivas Hernandez’s body, a spokesperson for D4vd said in a statement to NBC News that the singer "has been informed about what’s happened, and although he is still out on tour, he is fully cooperating with the authorities."
Since then, D4vd canceled the remainder of his U.S. dates.
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