The case of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, whose body was found in a Tesla linked to musician D4vd, has sparked intense public scrutiny. Many are asking why the 20-year-old artist has not yet been arrested.
Legal experts point to the threshold of probable cause. Although the vehicle is registered to D4vd and various circumstantial connections have surfaced, ownership and speculation alone do not legally justify taking him into custody.
ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire explained on Good Morning America that investigators first need the autopsy results before considering such a step.
“Law enforcement does not have the answers they need to be able to confront or question D4vd,” Buckmire said. “Without a confirmed cause and manner of death, there is no legal ground for an arrest.”
Police have searched a residence tied to the musician and seized electronic devices, but the Los Angeles Police Department continues to classify the matter as a death investigation, not a homicide.
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That legal distinction is significant: until the medical examiner determines how Rivas died, detectives cannot elevate the case in court.
Experts warn that a premature arrest could undermine the entire investigation.
Detaining a high-profile figure without sufficient evidence risks dismissal of charges later, and law enforcement is moving carefully to avoid that outcome.
For now, the lack of autopsy findings keeps the case in a holding pattern. Legal analysts agree that unless new evidence emerges, D4vd will not face arrest until the cause of death is officially established.
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