The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed that 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was likely deceased for several weeks before her body was discovered in a Tesla registered to musician d4vd (David Burke).
A crucial detail in the investigation is the timing of the vehicle being ticketed in Hollywood Hills. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Tesla was ticketed 11 days before Rivas Hernandez’s body was found, offering investigators a key window in piecing together the timeline.
LAPD Captain Scot M. Williams told PEOPLE, “We know that the Tesla had been parked at the location from which it was towed for several weeks, so it is very likely Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been dead for several weeks prior to her body being discovered. 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.” He added that the LAPD’s robbery-homicide division continues to probe the case.
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Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing multiple times in 2024, and officers responded after a foul odor was reported from the vehicle. The grim discovery came one day after her 15th birthday.
d4vd has not been named a suspect or charged and is reportedly cooperating with authorities. Following the discovery, he canceled his remaining U.S. tour dates.
Investigators continue to examine all leads, including searches of nearby residences connected to d4vd, as the LAPD works to clarify the events leading up to the teen’s death.
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