Investigators Probe Teen Found Dead in D4vd’s Tesla as Runaway History Emerges

A 15-year-old girl, Celeste Rivas, was found dead in the trunk of a Tesla owned by singer D4vd in the Hollywood Hills, authorities said. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division is leading the investigation, with detectives examining the teenager’s history to understand how a run of disappearances and movements may have contributed to the events surrounding the car.

Rivas, a resident of Lake Elsinore, had been reported missing multiple times by her family in Riverside County, according to law enforcement records. A local liquor-store owner near her school bus stop recalled an incident on March 19, 2024, when her sister came in to review security footage in a desperate attempt to trace Celeste’s steps after she fled. A middle school teacher told TMZ that Celeste had previously vanished in January 2024, and investigators say she disappeared again in April 2024 before being found in February in the Hollywood Hills after moving around with the help of multiple fake IDs to appear older than she was. The discovery prompted police to reopen the circle of people who might have known her trajectory, and investigators said they are reviewing the circumstances that allowed her to move between locations.

Remains were recovered after the vehicle was towed to a Hollywood tow yard in an impound, and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office indicated significant decomposition, suggesting the body had been inside the car for some time. Rivas had been reported missing in May 2024, with authorities later identifying her by a distinctive red tattoo on her right index finger and by reports from her family that she had been dating someone named David. The coroner confirmed identification after the body was recovered, and her family has since spoken publicly about the case.

Police have not announced any suspects in the death. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has not been formally charged with any violation as of Wednesday morning. Last week, police raided D4vd’s Hollywood Hills home, searching for blood evidence in connection with the case, with multiple outlets reporting on the scene and the items removed from the residence.

The investigation has also drawn renewed attention to past content linked to the artist. A recently surfaced photo shows D4vd and Celeste together at a venue, and a January 2024 livestream includes Celeste encouraging the artist to answer a question from a viewer. Some fans pointed to a 2022 single and video titled Romantic Homicide that featured a female character resembling Rivas, and a December 2023 track titled Celeste_Demo unfin appeared to include lyrics that reference a girl with the same name. It is not known whether the songs refer to Rivas or another subject, and investigators have not confirmed any connection between the music and the case.

Authorities say the focus remains on Celeste Rivas’s history of missing-person reports and how those absences intersected with the circumstances surrounding the Tesla and D4vd. It is not clear whether the family contacted law enforcement during the spring disappearance to determine where Celeste had been staying after she was found in February, and officials continue to urge anyone with information to come forward. The case continues to unfold as investigators seek to establish a clear timeline and identify any persons who may have aided or hindered the teen’s movements in the months leading up to the discovery.