Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body found in the trunk of a Tesla linked to rising music star D4vd as that of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, a missing teen whose case had haunted her family since 2024.
Rivas’ remains were discovered last week in a black Tesla sedan impounded in Hollywood Hills. The vehicle was registered to 20-year-old singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, whose songs have amassed millions of streams and earned him high-profile brand deals.
Investigators said the gruesome discovery was prompted after workers at the impound lot noticed a foul odor coming from the car. Inside the trunk, police found a body wrapped in plastic, partially decomposed, and so badly damaged it could not initially be identified.
On Tuesday, authorities confirmed the remains were those of Rivas, who was just 13 when she went missing from Lake Elsinore, California, in 2024. Her mother told TMZ she immediately suspected the worst upon hearing reports of a body found in D4vd’s car.
“I knew it was her,” she said, adding that Celeste once had a boyfriend named David — the same first name as the artist.
Investigators also noted a chilling physical link: Rivas had a tattoo on her right index finger reading “Shhh…” — identical to one sported by D4vd. While other celebrities, including Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan, have similar tattoos, the matching ink raised further questions about the teen’s connection to the singer.
At the time of her disappearance, Rivas was described as petite, often wearing trendy outfits. When discovered, she was clad in a tube top, black leggings, and a yellow bracelet, along with stud earrings.
The discovery has rocked both Hollywood and the music industry. A spokesperson for D4vd told NBC 4 that the singer is “cooperating fully with authorities,” though investigators have not revealed whether he is a suspect, a witness, or simply linked through ownership of the vehicle.
Still, the fallout has been swift. Just days after being named the face of Crocs and Hollister’s “Dream Drop” campaigns, D4vd was dropped by both brands. His scheduled Wednesday concert in Seattle was abruptly canceled, though ticket sales were still live at the time of publication.
The revelations have left fans stunned. D4vd, who was preparing for a Minneapolis performance when the story broke, had been active on Instagram with his two million followers, seemingly unaware of the storm brewing around him.
Meanwhile, Rivas’ mother expressed her grief not just over her daughter’s brutal death but the circumstances of her betrayal. “She was only a child,” she said. “She didn’t deserve this.”
The teen’s disappearance last year had sparked local searches and missing-person campaigns, but leads went cold. Now, with her remains found in such horrifying condition, investigators are working to retrace her final steps and determine how she ended up in the singer’s car.
Prosecutors revealed that the girl was dismembered and wrapped in plastic, evidence that points to a deliberate attempt to conceal the crime. No charges have been filed against Burke at this stage, but investigators confirmed they are examining all possible connections.
As the case develops, one thing is certain: the tragedy has not only shattered a family but also cast a long shadow over a rising star’s career. For many, Celeste Rivas’ death is a haunting reminder of the dangers faced by vulnerable teens — and of how fame, secrecy, and violence can collide in devastating ways.
