Rapper Arrested Months After Dismembered Teen Found In His Tesla

Rapper d4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder after a 14-year-old girl whose dismembered body was found in his Tesla last year.

The Los Angeles Police Department said Burke, 21, has been booked on suspicion of murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez and is being held without bail.

“Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division, have arrested David Burke, a 21-year-old resident of Los Angeles, for the murder of Celeste Rivas,” LAPD posted on X, adding that the case will be presented to the L.A. County District Attorney’s office on Monday for possible charges.

Burke’s attorneys denied the allegations, saying in a statement that “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,” per CBS News.

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

The 21-year-old singer initially continued touring after the remains were discovered in September 2025. He canceled the remainder of his tour after the victim was publicly identified.  

Rivas’ dismembered body was found in bags inside the abandoned Tesla that had been taken to the city impound. The car was searched after employees reported a foul stench coming from the vehicle.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Rivas was reported missing from Lake Elsinore more than a year ago, per CBS News. According to a missing person flyer, the teen was last seen on April 5, 2024, leaving her home.

Burke first gained recognition on TikTok before being signed to Darkroom and Interscope Records. The “Romantic Homicide” singer has 2 million followers on Instagram and 5.4 billion streams on Spotify.