D4vd, Celeste Rivas via Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Getty Images, Arturo Holmes
Separating fact from speculation in the case.
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Authorities have identified the decomposed body found inside a Tesla registered to singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, as that of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, a missing girl from Lake Elsinore, California.
This revelation has led D4vd fans to scour his song lyrics and social media for clues he knew about what happened to Rivas or was involved in her death. Rivas disappeared in April 2024 when she was 13 years old.
Matching tattoos and a boyfriend named “David”
Hollywood towing yard workers discovered Rivas’ decomposing remains on September 8 after noting a strong odor coming from the impounded vehicle. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, the remains had been in the car for several days before they were found.
Investigators confirmed the victim’s identity through forensic testing and a distinctive tattoo on her right index finger that read “Shhh….” The design and placement of the tattoo matched descriptions in her missing persons report and mirrored a nearly identical tattoo that D4vd himself has publicly displayed.
Rivas’ mother had previously mentioned that her daughter had a boyfriend named “David.” However, authorities have not established any direct link between her and the singer beyond the discovery of her body in his car.
A mysterious new song and a claim debunked
A new twist arose in the case with the appearance of a leaked track on SoundCloud titled “Celeste (Read Desc.),” uploaded to a non-official account shortly after the remains were found. The song’s lyrics reportedly reference a girl named Celeste, with lines about her voice and scent lingering on the narrator’s clothes.
While many online have seized on the connection, neither D4vd nor his representatives have confirmed the track as his work. Authorities have also not said whether the leak is part of their investigation, and questions remain about the authenticity of the recording.
Speculation has also spread through social media, with some users claiming Twitch stream footage exists, showing a young woman resembling Rivas with the singer. To date, no credible evidence or law enforcement confirmation has backed that claim.
Another viral rumor suggested that D4vd’s breakout hit “Romantic Homicide” was released on Rivas’ birthday, but records show the track was released on July 20, 2022. Authorities have not disclosed Rivas’ date of birth. That claim has since been debunked.
The status of the Rivas investigation
The Los Angeles Police Department has opened a homicide investigation into Rivas’ death, though the cause and manner remain pending. Officials have not named any suspects, and reports say D4vd is cooperating with investigators. For now, the singer has made no public comment about the case.
The fallout has already disrupted his career. A planned concert in Seattle was canceled in the days following the discovery, though other stops on his tour, including scheduled performances in San Francisco and Los Angeles, remain listed. Whether those shows go forward may depend on how the investigation develops in the coming weeks.
The high-profile case has drawn such intense scrutiny in part because of D4vd’s rapid ascent in the music industry. The 19-year-old Houston-born artist first broke through in 2022 when his single “Romantic Homicide,” recorded in his sister’s bedroom closet, went viral on TikTok and eventually charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Within a year of his breakthrough, D4vd had signed with Interscope Records, opened for artists like SZA, and launched his own headlining tour, making him one of Gen Z’s most recognizable new voices.
Published: Sep 18, 2025 08:05 pm