American singer D4vd arrested on suspicion of murder after remains of missing 14-year-old found in his car

• US singer D4vd has been arrested and is being held without bail over the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

• The girl’s decomposed remains were found in a car linked to him months after she was reported missing.

• His lawyers deny any involvement, as the case heads to prosecutors for possible charges.

American singer D4vd, known legally as David Anthony Burke, has been arrested on suspicion of murder following a months-long investigation into the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl whose decomposed remains were discovered in a vehicle registered to him in September last year.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Thursday that Burke, 21, is being held without bail. The case is expected to be presented to the District Attorney's office on Monday. 

His lawyers pushed back immediately, stating that evidence in the case would show Burke "did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and was not the cause of her death," and clarifying that no indictment has been returned and no criminal complaint formally filed.

The grim discovery that set this in motion came on September 8, 2025, when authorities responded to reports of a foul odour at a Hollywood tow yard. 

Inside the front boot of a Tesla registered to Burke's Texas address, investigators found the girl's decomposed head and torso in a cadaver bag. 

The county medical examiner described the body as "severely decomposed" and estimated she may have been dead for several weeks before she was found. No official cause of death has been announced.

Celeste had first been reported missing by her family in April 2024 from their home in Lake Elsinore, California, roughly 75 miles from where her body was found. 

It was not her first time running away. The daughter of Salvadoran immigrant parents, she was remembered by neighbours as a familiar face at the local corner store.

Among the details that captured public attention: she had a tattoo reading "Shhh…" on her index finger, nearly identical to one on Burke's own finger.

A grand jury began hearing evidence in December, and the investigation gained fresh detail when Burke's father, Dawud Burke, contested a California court summons in Texas, inadvertently releasing documents that confirmed his son had been identified as a murder target of the grand jury. 

Thursday's arrest is the first major development in the case since then.

Born March 28, 2005, David Anthony Burke rose to prominence in 2022 when his singles 'Romantic Homicide' and 'Here with Me' went viral on TikTok, leading to a record deal with Darkroom and Interscope Records. 

He built a fanbase largely among Gen Z listeners drawn to his lo-fi, emotionally raw sound.

In 2024, he charted on the Billboard Hot 100 with 'Feel It' and released his debut studio album Withered in April 2025. 

Following the discovery of Celeste's remains in a vehicle linked to him, his remaining tour dates and a planned deluxe edition of the album were cancelled. 

He had been largely silent publicly on the matter, with representatives only confirming he was cooperating with authorities until Thursday's arrest changed the story entirely.

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