The singer d4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is under scrutiny in a Los Angeles murder investigation, following the discovery of the decomposed body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas in the trunk of his Tesla on September 8, 2025.
Authorities estimate Rivas was killed five days earlier, on September 3, though the cause of death remains “deferred” pending further analysis. The body was found after Hollywood Tow employees reported a strong odor emanating from the vehicle, which had been parked on Bluebird Avenue. Neighbors noted the Tesla had been moved multiple times over the previous three months before being discovered.
Burke was on tour promoting his new album when the body was found. The tour was eventually paused as the investigation intensified. The Tesla was towed to the City Department of Transportation, citing it had been parked on a public street for over 72 hours.
Rivas had been missing since May 2024. Her mother said that Celeste had a boyfriend named David, matching Burke’s first name. Additionally, Burke and Rivas reportedly share similar tattoos on their fingers, fueling public speculation about a connection. Sources also claim Burke was also traced back to Rivas’s hometown, approximately 70 miles from Hollywood.
As the investigation expands further, The Daily Mail reported that Burke’s Hollywood Hills residence, which he shared with his manager, Josh Marshall, was raided. The $20,000 -per-month lease, started by Marshall in February 2024, was terminated shortly after the raid.
The LAPD released a statement regarding their findings. This statement read, “Several items of evidence were recovered and will be analyzed by detectives in the coming days.” It kept going, “This is an ongoing investigation. Investigators are following up on several leads.”
Public suspicion has grown due to elements in Burke’s work, including the use of a casket onstage during a performance. His February music video titled “One More Dance” depicts a body being dragged and placed in the trunk of a car, and a leaked, unfinished track titled “Celeste_Demo” references Celeste multiple times.
Additionally, Burke’s song titled “Romantic Homicide,” released in 2022, includes lyrics and a music video featuring a woman in a bloody white dress, which some fans believe resembles Rivas. However, the song predates Rivas’s disappearance, and her birthdate remains unconfirmed, casting doubt on claims it was released on her birthday.
A resurfaced interview has further fueled speculation. In it, Burke, an anime enthusiast, discussed a manga series he was writing about a detective named Itami, meaning “pain” in Japanese, who secretly commits the murders he investigates.
Burke described Itami as an “agent of chaos” and as his alter ego, noting that elements of the character appear in “Romantic Homicide.”
Some fans have pointed out similarities between the video’s imagery and Rivas’s case, though no evidence directly links Burke to her death.
Burke has faced online backlash for allegedly moderating his subreddit to remove negative comments during the investigation. He was the sole moderator of the subreddit, leading to accusations that he was attempting to control his public image, and the subreddit was subsequently closed. Burke’s spokesperson stated he is “fully cooperating with authorities,” and was notified of the investigation only after the body was discovered. While Burke has not been charged and maintains his innocence, the LAPD has not officially named him a suspect in Rivas’s death.
