Los Angeles law enforcement has prevented the county coroner’s office from disclosing information regarding the death of a teenage girl discovered in the trunk of a vehicle registered to the artist known as d4vd, the medical examiner’s office announced on Monday.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found deceased on September 8 inside a Tesla that had been impounded in Los Angeles shortly after she turned 15. Multiple media outlets indicated that the vehicle was linked to d4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, aged 20.
The medical examiner’s office revealed that a “court order, requested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD),” has placed a security hold on Rivas Hernandez’s case. This order, issued on Friday, explicitly prohibits the release of any records or details related to the case, including the cause and manner of death, and the Medical Examiner report, until further notice.
Reports from various Los Angeles TV stations alleging that the Houston-born alt-pop singer is a suspect have surfaced, citing anonymous sources. However, the LAPD has not officially confirmed this, and d4vd’s attorney Blair Berk did not respond to inquiries on Monday.
LAPD Captain Mike Bland clarified that the security hold was implemented not to hinder transparency but to safeguard the integrity of the ongoing police investigation, led by detectives from the robbery homicide division. Bland emphasized, “It was done so that our investigators receive the information before it reaches the media and the public.”
Chief medical examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo expressed that such security holds are rare in other California counties and acknowledged the limitations imposed by the law in this case. Ukpo stated, “While respecting full transparency, we are bound by the law as long as the court order remains in effect.”
Rivas Hernandez’s remains were discovered severely decomposed, according to a statement from the medical examiner’s office in September, suggesting she had been deceased inside the vehicle for an extended period before being found.
The last known sighting of Rivas Hernandez was in April 2024 in Lake Elsinore, her hometown about 95 kilometers southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
D4vd, known for his unique blend of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop, rose to fame among Gen Z. His track “Romantic Homicide” went viral on TikTok in 2022, reaching No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. Following this success, he signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, releasing his debut EP “Petals to Thorns” and a subsequent album, “The Lost Petals,” in 2023.
The artist was on tour promoting his first full-length album, “Withered,” when Rivas Hernandez’s body was discovered. As a result, the remaining North American shows, including performances in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and a planned appearance at L.A.’s Grammy Museum were canceled. Additionally, his upcoming European tour slated to commence in Norway on October 1 was also called off.
