D4vd, the 21-year-old artist whose rapid rise in music has drawn significant attention in recent years, is now at the center of a serious and ongoing criminal investigation.
Authorities confirmed that the singer, whose real name is David Burke, was taken into custody on Thursday, April 16, in Los Angeles. He is currently being held without bail in connection to the murder of Celeste Rivas.
The Los Angeles Police Department announced the arrest in a public statement shared on X (formerly Twitter):
“LAPD NEWS: ‘Detectives from 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. Burke is being held without bail,’” the department stated.
They later added,
“The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday for filing consideration.”
The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has been unfolding for months—and has already drawn widespread attention due to its disturbing details.
According to reports, the investigation began gaining traction roughly seven months ago, when authorities were called to a tow yard in Los Angeles. Employees had reported a strong odor coming from a vehicle that had been left on the property for several days.
The vehicle—an abandoned Tesla registered to Burke—was later found to contain a decomposed body.
Medical examiners determined that the victim had been deceased for an extended period of time prior to discovery, a detail that intensified the investigation and raised further questions about the timeline of events.
Two months after the initial discovery, Burke was identified as a person of interest in the death of Celeste Rivas, a teenager who had previously been reported missing.
Rivas was last seen in April 2024, after leaving her home in California. Her disappearance had remained unresolved until the discovery of the vehicle.
As the case developed, additional details—described by authorities as “gruesome”—began to emerge, though many specifics have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Now, with Burke formally arrested, the case enters a new phase.
Legal proceedings are expected to move forward following the District Attorney’s review, which will determine whether formal charges will be filed.
At this stage, investigators have not released further information regarding motive or the circumstances leading up to the alleged crime.
The situation remains active, and authorities have indicated that updates will follow as the case progresses.
For now, what began as a missing person case has evolved into a high-profile investigation—one that continues to unfold, with serious implications ahead.
