An ex-boyfriend of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has spoken out, saying the late teen had a difficult home life before running away from her Lake Elsinore residence.
Damien Hernandez, 15, told TMZ that he dated Rivas Hernandez in middle school and that she was “looking for something serious.”
He said her home situation contributed to her unhappiness, adding that her mother did not treat her well. According to Hernandez, Rivas Hernandez had talked about running away from home and even joked about it at school.
Hernandez also commented on her alleged connection to singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke.
He expressed surprise at their relationship, saying he had thought Rivas Hernandez was happy outside of her home. “No one cared. I don’t know, I should have done something,” he told TMZ.
Rivas Hernandez, 15, was reported missing multiple times in 2024. Her remains were discovered on September 8, 2025, in the trunk of a Tesla registered to D4vd, a day after her 15th birthday. Authorities believe her body had been in the vehicle for several weeks.
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Police have not named a suspect or person of interest, and her cause of death has not been determined. Los Angeles Police Department Captain Scot Williams said the LAPD is investigating a reported relationship between Rivas Hernandez and D4vd, while the vehicle remains under evidence processing. The medical examiner has ruled her manner of death as homicide, with the location listed as the vehicle.
The discovery prompted a search of D4vd’s Hollywood Hills rental home, where authorities seized evidence. Following the investigation, D4vd canceled his world tour and was removed from promotional campaigns with Crocs and Hollister. UMG and Interscope also pulled promotion for his music, including the planned deluxe edition of his album.
Friends of D4vd reportedly believed Rivas Hernandez was a 19-year-old USC student, unaware that she was a minor. The teen and D4vd shared matching “Sshhhh” tattoos on their right index fingers.
Video footage from a former teacher suggests Rivas Hernandez met D4vd via social media and ran away from home for about a month before returning.
Amid the investigation, D4vd has not publicly commented. Online users have scrutinized his music and lyrics, with some noting violent imagery in songs like “Romantic Homicide” and animations featuring his alter ego Itami, a detective who solves murders he committed.
A funeral service for Celeste Rivas Hernandez is scheduled for October 4, 2025.
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