D4vd arrested in connection to Celeste Rivas murder: Details

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Queens native and TikTok singer D4vd has been arrested in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, as reported by FOX 11 Los Angeles.

What we know:

The Los Angeles Police Department announced Thursday that the artist, whose legal name is David Burke, was taken into custody in the Hollywood Hills. 

Video obtained by TMZ appears to show the moments of his arrest.

D4vd arrest video: TMZ

Authorities said the case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday for filing consideration. 

D4vd, 21, is being held without bail.

While an LAPD social media post listed Rivas Hernandez as 15 years old, law enforcement sources told FOX 11 she was found dead just days before what would have been her 15th birthday.

An attorney representing D4vd issued the following statement:

"Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.

There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence."

Who is D4vd? 

David Anthony Burke, better known by his stage name D4vd, was born on March 28, 2005, in Queens, New York City, before his family later relocated to Houston, Texas. 

Known for his moody, indie-inspired style that blends lo-fi, R&B, and alternative rock influences, D4vd quickly rose from posting gaming clips to becoming one of TikTok’s breakout musicians.

Now 21 years old, he began his creative career by making Fortnite gaming montages, which introduced him to the indie music scene. 

Facing repeated copyright claims, he decided to start producing original music.

His breakthrough came on July 20, 2022, with the release of "Romantic Homicide" after snippets of the track went viral on TikTok.

The single became his first major hit, climbing to No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Alternative Songs chart and reaching No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

D4vd arrest timeline

The arrest marks a major development in a case that has drawn widespread attention for months.

Timeline:

Rivas Hernandez’s body was found in Sept. 2025 inside the trunk of an abandoned Tesla in Los Angeles. The vehicle was later linked to Burke, and investigators believe the teen may have been dead for several weeks before the discovery.

She had been reported missing in April 2024 from Lake Elsinore. Authorities later confirmed that she and Burke had previously been in a relationship prior to her disappearance.

According to a 2025 report from TMZ, some of Burke’s friends believed the teen was a 19-year-old college student after she was seen attending age-restricted events. The two also shared matching "Sshhhh" tattoos on their right index fingers, fueling speculation across social media about his possible involvement.

Before his arrest, Burke, known professionally as D4vd, had faced intense online scrutiny as fans pointed to parallels between his music and the case.

Even his other music videos, including "One More Dance," have been dissected by fans for alleged connections to the case.

Social media users also circulated alleged screenshots from his Discord server and resurfaced unreleased music referencing the name "Celeste," further amplifying speculation. At the time, police said he was cooperating with investigators and had not been named a suspect.

When was Celeste's body found? 

Rivas Hernandez's body was found inside the trunk of an abandoned Tesla in Los Angeles in Sept. of last year. 

It was later revealed during the early stages of investigations that the Tesla was registered under the singer's name and that Rivas Hernandez may have been dead for several weeks before her body was eventually discovered.

D4vd and Rivas Hernandez were previously dating before the latter's disappearance. She was first reported missing Lake Elsinore in April 2024.

According to a 2025 report from TMZ, D4vd's friends thought Rivas Hernandez was a 19-year-old student at USC because she was spotted at multiple age-restricted events.

The singer and Rivas Hernandez shared matching "Sshhhh" tattoos on their right index fingers, drawing speculation across social media that D4vd may have been involved in the teen's death.

In fall of last year, investigators searched a Hollywood Hills home where the singer had been staying and seized "several items of evidence," according to The Post. 

But still, no charges had been filed.

"The Los Angeles County medical examiner has not determined a cause or manner of her death, so we don’t know for sure if anyone has any criminal culpability for her death beyond the concealment of her dead body," LAPD Capt. Scot M. Williams told People.

Fallout

The controversy has also reignited interest in his music, with "Romantic Homicide" climbing Spotify charts and his videos trending again on YouTube.

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