Celeste Rivas Hernandez's cause of death was formally revealed in Los Angeles on Wednesday, 22 April, after county officials released autopsy findings that detail how the 14‑year‑old was killed months before her dismembered remains were discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd in September 2025.
For context, Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, before workers at a tow yard raised the alarm over a strong odour coming from a vehicle on 8 September 2025, one day after what would have been her 15th birthday. Prosecutors say the car belonged to 21‑year‑old music artist D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, whose work includes the tracks 'Here with Me' and 'Romantic Homicide'. He is now accused of killing the teenager, dismembering her body, and leaving her remains in the boot for months.
