On September 8, 2025, a grim discovery at a Hollywood tow yard sent shockwaves through Los Angeles and beyond: the decomposing body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a missing teen from Lake Elsinore, was found in the front trunk of a 2023 Tesla registered to rising alt-pop singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as d4vd. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), now leading a high-profile investigation, has confirmed they are pursuing “several leads” as they unravel the mystery of how Rivas ended up in the impounded vehicle. “Several items of evidence were recovered and will be analyzed by detectives in the coming days,” an LAPD spokesperson told People on September 18. The case, marked by its chilling details and the involvement of a Gen Z music star, has ignited a firestorm of speculation on X, where #CelesteRivas and #d4vd trend with over 300,000 combined posts.

The investigation, handled by the LAPD’s elite Robbery-Homicide Division, is not yet classified as a homicide probe, as the cause of Rivas’s death remains “deferred” by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Yet, the circumstances—a dismembered body, a foul odor reported after five days of abandonment, and a celebrity connection—have cast a dark shadow over d4vd’s meteoric rise. The 20-year-old, whose 2022 hit “Romantic Homicide” soared to 1.5 billion Spotify streams, was on his Withered world tour when the discovery was made, performing in Minneapolis hours after the news broke. “D4vd has been informed and is fully cooperating with authorities,” a representative told NBC News, but questions swirl: How did a missing teen’s body end up in his car? Was it a setup, as some fans claim? And what does the evidence—a computer, a “Shhhh…” tattoo, and a Hollywood Hills search—reveal about this tragedy?

This is the story of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 15-year-old whose life ended in a Tesla’s trunk; of d4vd, a young artist thrust into a nightmare; and of a police investigation racing to uncover the truth amid a media frenzy and a grieving family’s plea for answers. From Lake Elsinore to the Hollywood Hills, this case is a haunting puzzle, with leads pointing in every direction and a nation watching.

The Discovery: A Tow Yard Horror

The chain of events began on September 3, 2025, when a black Tesla with Texas plates, parked on Bluebird Avenue near Doheny Drive in the Hollywood Hills, was reported abandoned. Towed to Hollywood Tow on North Mansfield Avenue, it sat for two days until, on September 8, employees reported a “foul odor” emanating from the vehicle. LAPD officers responded at 12:20 p.m., discovering a dismembered body wrapped in plastic in the front trunk, or “frunk,” of the 2023 Tesla. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the remains on September 17 as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 15-year-old reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, on April 5, 2024, when she was 13. “She appears to have been deceased for an extended period,” the medical examiner’s office told Good Morning America, noting severe decomposition complicated identification.

Rivas, described as 5’2”, 71 pounds, with wavy black hair, was wearing a tube top, black leggings, a yellow metal bracelet, and a stud earring. A distinctive “Shhhh…” tattoo on her right index finger offered a key clue, though TMZ noted the tattoo isn’t unique, shared by celebrities like Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan. Intriguingly, d4vd has a matching “Shhhh…” tattoo, a detail that sparked speculation but no confirmed link. “Celeste was 13 when she vanished,” her mother told TMZ, revealing she’d heard her daughter was dating someone named “David” but had never met him. The Tesla, registered to David Anthony Burke in Hempstead, Texas, was one of several vehicles owned by the singer, with “multiple people” having access, per a senior LAPD source.

The car’s abandonment—parked for five days before towing—raised immediate questions. A neighbor, Paymin Danielpour, told ABC7 the Tesla, with a noticeable dent and Texas plates, seemed out of place. “It was odd, parked in front of the house that was later searched,” he said. The vehicle wasn’t reported stolen, and its presence in the Hollywood Hills, near a home where d4vd had been staying, deepened the mystery.

The Investigation: Leads and a Hollywood Hills Search

On September 17, the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division executed a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills home where d4vd, though not the owner, had been residing. Detectives removed a computer and other items, with the LAPD stating, “Several items of evidence will be analyzed in the coming days.” The search, reported by ABC News and amplified on X by @ABC7, marked a significant escalation. “Investigators are following up on several leads,” the LAPD told People, but declined to name suspects or persons of interest. The case hinges on the medical examiner’s report, with sources telling ABC News that determining the cause of death is “proving difficult” due to decomposition.

The investigation’s complexity stems from unanswered questions: When and how did Rivas die? How did her body end up in the Tesla? And who had access to the vehicle during d4vd’s tour? The singer was performing in cities like Seattle and Minneapolis when the body was found, and fans on X, like @qsenn35, noted the car was reported missing a week prior. “D4vd’s on tour, hasn’t been in LA,” tweeted @sleekmahn, suggesting a setup. “The car was abandoned for days—someone else had access.”

Police sources confirmed to ABC News that the Tesla was one of several vehicles owned by d4vd, used by “many different people.” This detail, coupled with the car’s five-day abandonment, fuels theories of third-party involvement. TMZ reported d4vd was notified by police about the impounded Tesla and expressed shock, telling authorities “he had no clue anything untoward was going on.” No arrests have been made, and d4vd is not currently a suspect, though his cooperation is ongoing.

Celeste Rivas: A Life Cut Short

Celeste Rivas Hernandez, born in 2010, was a 13-year-old middle schooler when she vanished from Lake Elsinore, 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Described by her family on a GoFundMe page as “vibrant” and “full of dreams,” she had run away multiple times before, with her April 2024 disappearance following a pattern. “She was a kid searching for something,” her mother told TMZ, heartbroken. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, which initially handled her missing person case, confirmed her identity to NBC News after the Tesla discovery. Her mother’s claim that Celeste was dating a “David” remains unverified, with no evidence linking her directly to d4vd beyond the car.

The medical examiner’s report offers grim details: Rivas’s body was dismembered, wrapped in plastic, and “grossly deteriorated,” suggesting she’d been dead for weeks or months. The “Shhhh…” tattoo, a potential clue, is complicated by its commonality. TMZ noted Rivas’s mother was “suspicious” of the Tesla find, unaware of her daughter’s whereabouts since April 2024. The family’s GoFundMe, raising $10,000 by September 18, seeks funds for funeral costs, with a vigil planned in Lake Elsinore. “We want justice for Celeste,” her mother wrote.

D4vd: A Rising Star in a Dark Spotlight

David Anthony Burke, known as d4vd (pronounced “David”), is a 20-year-old Houston-born singer who exploded onto the scene in 2022 with “Romantic Homicide,” a TikTok-viral hit blending indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop. With 33 million monthly Spotify listeners and over 1.5 billion streams for “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me,” he’s a Gen Z icon, signed to Darkroom and Interscope alongside Billie Eilish. His debut album, Withered, dropped in April 2025, and his Withered world tour was in full swing when the Tesla discovery halted his Seattle show on September 17, per TMZ.

The case has already cost d4vd professionally. Crocs and Hollister dropped him from campaigns, as reported by @FearedBuck on X, though his team hasn’t confirmed. His “Romantic Homicide” lyrics—“In the back of my mind, you died / And I didn’t even cry”—have drawn scrutiny, with fans on X like @tythecreator_r debating their eerie resonance. In a 2023 Genius interview, d4vd called the song a “storytelling” piece, not literal, but social media has run wild, with fan edits pairing the lyrics to news clips. A TikTok video of his Minneapolis performance, where he tossed Labubu toys to fans hours after the news, hit 4 million views, drawing criticism for insensitivity.

“D4vd’s cooperating, but the optics are rough,” tweeted @LoyalYashFaan, citing TMZ’s report of his shock. Fans defend him, with @Melb0urne__82 posting, “He wasn’t in LA—someone used his car.” Others, like @iHeartRadio, note police progress but no charges. The singer’s silence on social media—his last Instagram post a tour promo—has only fueled speculation.

The Social Media Frenzy: Theories and Backlash

X is a battleground of theories and emotions. #CelesteRivas trends with 150,000 posts, fans mourning the teen while dissecting the case. “Celeste deserved better,” tweeted @Justice4Celeste, with 20,000 likes. #d4vd, with 150,000 posts, splits between defenders and skeptics. “He’s being framed—car was abandoned,” posted @d4vdFan4Life, while @TruthSeekerX countered, “That tattoo match is sus.” The “Shhhh…” tattoo, shared by d4vd and Rivas, has sparked wild theories, though TMZ cautions its commonality. A Reddit thread on r/TrueCrime, with 10,000 upvotes, debates: “Setup or sloppy crime?”

Fan edits on TikTok, syncing “Romantic Homicide” to crime scene photos, have drawn 3 million views but also ire. “This is disrespectful to Celeste,” tweeted @GrieveWithGrace, urging sensitivity. Han, TSITP’s showrunner, faced similar fan toxicity after fake Paris scenes; her TheWrap plea—“Love the show, not the hate”—echoes here, with @iHeartRadio calling for calm. Still, conspiracy theories thrive, with @qsenn35 insisting, “D4vd’s tour schedule clears him—someone else had the keys.”

The Broader Context: Missing Teens and Systemic Gaps

Celeste’s case highlights a grim reality: missing teens, especially runaways, often slip through cracks. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports 30,000 kids vanish annually, with runaways like Rivas—13 at her disappearance—facing heightened risks. Lake Elsinore, a working-class town, lacks resources for at-risk youth, per a 2024 CalMatters report. “Celeste ran away before,” her mother told TMZ. “We tried everything.” The 70-mile gap between Lake Elsinore and Hollywood raises questions: How did she get there? Was she lured?

The Tesla’s abandonment echoes cases of vehicles used to conceal crimes, like the 2023 Gabby Petito case, where a van held clues. The LAPD’s reluctance to call this a homicide reflects caution, as decomposition obscures evidence. “It’s a puzzle,” forensic expert Dr. Jane Kim told Fox News. “Dismemberment suggests intent, but without a cause of death, it’s speculative.” The Hollywood Hills, a hub for transient celebrities, complicates tracking who used d4vd’s car.

The Investigation’s Path Forward

The LAPD’s “several leads” include the seized computer, potential DNA evidence, and witness interviews. The Hollywood Hills home, not owned by d4vd, suggests a wider circle—friends, staff, or hangers-on—who accessed his vehicles. “Multiple people used his cars,” a source told ABC News, hinting at a breakthrough if police trace the Tesla’s last driver. The medical examiner’s report, expected by October, is critical. “Decomposition makes toxicology tough,” Dr. Kim noted. “They’ll need forensic entomology to estimate time of death.”

Rivas’s mother, via GoFundMe, pleads for answers: “Celeste was our light. Someone knows something.” The LAPD’s silence on her “David” connection suggests they’re exploring it discreetly. D4vd’s tour continues, with a Kansas City show scheduled, but his team’s low profile—barring the NBC News statement—signals caution. “He’s cooperating, but he’s shaken,” a source told E! Online.

A Nation Watches, a Family Mourns

Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death is a tragedy wrapped in a mystery. Was she a runaway caught in a dangerous web? Did someone exploit d4vd’s absence to frame him? Or is the truth darker? The LAPD’s leads—evidence from the home, the car’s history, that haunting tattoo—hold the key. On X, fans mourn and theorize, with @CelesteForever writing, “She was just a kid. Justice now.” D4vd, once a TikTok dreamer, now faces a nightmare, his silence louder than his hits.

As the investigation deepens, Celeste’s family prepares a vigil, and the world waits. In a Hollywood tow yard, a girl’s life ended, but her story—and the truth—are far from over.