By: Liam Doyle

A dead body has been found in the car of famous singer D4VD! Famous indie rock singer D4VD is facing murder allegations upon the discovery of a deceased body located in an abandoned car registered in his name.

Who is D4VD? David Anthony Burke, also known as D4VD, initially began his online career by creating gaming content on the famous battle royal shooter Fortnite Battle Royale. David’s music career began when he started making his own copyright-free music on BandLab to use in the background of his Fortnite montages. Even with no formal music background, David managed to produce raw emotional music that captivated audiences by combining elements of indie rock, alternative and R&B. D4VD eventually broke through in July of 2022 with his release of “Romantic Homicide” which quickly gained traction and, as of now, has 1.7 billion streams on Spotify. His first hit landed him a record deal with Dark Room, a sub‑label under Interscope Records and since then D4VD has performed at multiple top-tier venues such as Coachella and Lollapalooza. 

Why is D4VD in the news? On Sept. 8th, the decomposing body of 15-year-old Celest Rivas Hernandez was found in the trunk of an impounded Tesla registered under D4VD’s name. Police were originally alerted to the vehicle due to its abandonment in Hollywood Hills, where it remained for several months according to residents. The body was finally discovered when a pungent smell emanating from the corpse inside the vehicle attracted the attention of authorities.

Who is the victim? Celeste Rivas Hernandez was a 15-year-old girl from Lake Elsinore, Calif. Celeste was found one day after she had turned 15 and had been reported missing from her home in California since April 5, 2024. The body of Celeste was found in a dismembered state, wrapped in plastic, and decomposed due to August heat. The body was found wearing black leggings, a tube top, stud earrings and a yellow bracelet. Currently, no cause of death has been determined due to the intense mutilation of the body and the decomposition that happened during the period the body was in the car.

What is the connection? The relationship between Celeste and D4VD is completely alleged; however, multiple connections are being drawn by the public. One such connection is a shared tattoo that D4VD and Celeste both have on their fingers, which has led fans to believe there was a relationship between the two. Additionally, fans have unearthed messages on Discord that are speculated to have been between an account linked to D4VD and an account with the username “Celeste.” Other connections include D4VD’s latest release, a single titled “Celeste,” which was released Sept. 20. Finally, fans have noticed the women in D4VD’s music videos frequently resemble the 15-year-old victim; the women he sings to often have long curly black hair and a lighter skin tone, oddly similar to that of the teen found dead in the Tesla registered under his name. 

How has D4VD reacted? Even though D4VD is not officially considered a suspect, the police have formally announced that D4VD is cooperating with authorities; however, no public statement has been made on behalf of the indie artist. D4VD was on tour when news of the remains was announced and since a show in Seattle has been canceled, it remains unclear if the tour will completely come to a halt. Following the discovery of the remains, D4VD has hired an attorney named Blair Berk. Additionally, sponsors such as Crocs and Hollister have publicly cut ties with D4VD in response to the incident. His manager has requested that people “please report on factual information.”

What can we expect moving forward? The investigation is ongoing, and the release of medical reports is likely to be the determining factor in solving the case. However, the determination may take several months due to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office deferring the cause of death. We can only hope that investigators are able to determine the cause of death and find the person who is responsible for this grotesque murder.

(Courtesy of Rolling Stone)