The musician D4vd has been arrested in connection with the death of a girl, Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found in the trunk of his Tesla. Ms. Rivas Hernandez’s body was found in September one day after what would have been her 15th birthday.
Representatives for D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, have not responded to requests for comment. Members of Ms. Rivas Hernandez’s family could not be reached for comment.
Here’s what we know about the suspect, the victim and the case:
The suspect, D4vd
Mr. Burke, 21, has millions of followers on social media and music platforms and created the anthem for Fortnite.
His 2022 track “Romantic Homicide” — a slow-rolling song about a failed relationship — blew up on social media. (Since this investigation began, some news outlets have noted that the song contains the lyric “In the back of my mind, I killed you / And I didn’t even regret it.”)
As his career took off, he got an opening slot on SZA’s SOS Tour. His major-label debut, “Withered,” was released last year, and he had been touring North America and Europe.
Mr. Burke was playing dates across the Midwest the week his Tesla was towed. Soon after the news that Ms. Rivas Hernandez’s body had been found in the trunk, several remaining concerts were canceled.
The victim, Celeste Rivas Hernandez
Ms. Rivas Hernandez was reported missing on April 5, 2024, from Lake Elsinore, Calif., about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. At the time of her disappearance, she was 13.
After her body was found, the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office said Ms. Rivas Hernandez was 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighed 71 pounds, had wavy black hair and was wearing a tube top and small black leggings.
Ms. Rivas Hernandez grew up in Lake Elsinore, a first-generation daughter of immigrant parents from El Salvador, and attended Lakeland Village School, according to The Los Angeles Times. The newspaper reported that she had run away from home multiple times, citing records from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
The case and arrest
A Tesla registered to Mr. Burke was towed to an impound lot on Sept. 5 after officials received a complaint that it appeared to have been abandoned.
On Sept. 8, the authorities responded to reports of a foul odor at the impound yard. They looked inside the Tesla and found the “severely decomposed” remains of a girl inside a bag in the front trunk, officials said. The body was later identified as that of Ms. Rivas Hernandez.
Detectives from the L.A.P.D.’s robbery-homicide division served a search warrant on a home in the Hollywood Hills in connection with the death investigation on Sept. 17, a police spokesman said. The house’s owner, Malden Trifunovic, said that Mr. Burke’s manager had been leasing the home.
On April 16, the authorities announced that they had arrested Mr. Burke.
Neil Vigdor, Caryn Ganz and Jesus Jiménez contributed reporting. Alain Delaquérière contributed research.
Matt Stevens is a Times reporter who writes about arts and culture from Los Angeles.
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