This is a grim one, and the reporting has been messy. Here is where things stand now in the death of teen Celeste Rivas and how R&B singer D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, factors into it — laid out as cleanly as possible.
What the autopsy actually says
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner released the official cause of death on Wednesday, April 22. Rivas died from multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s). The report is graphic, so fair warning: it notes two penetrating wounds in her torso, bilateral dismemberment of both upper and lower limbs, and several additional skin injuries. Her death is ruled a homicide.
Toxicology gets complicated. An initial screen showed a presumptive positive for benzodiazepines, methamphetamines, and MDMA, along with alcohol — but the ME flagged that as the type of result that needs confirmation. Follow-up testing cited by People says methamphetamine and designer opioids came back inconclusive because of interfering substances, while MDA and benzodiazepines were not positively detected on the second screen. The medical examiner also determined she was not pregnant at the time of death or in the prior year.
How we got here (because the timeline is a headache)
The case took over a year to wind through missing-person reports, an impounded Tesla, tour cancellations, and now an arrest. Also, yes, there are contradictions out there: the autopsy materials describe her as 14 at death, while earlier reports said she was 15 when she was reported missing in April 2024. That mismatch has not been reconciled in public documents.
- April 2024: Rivas is reported missing. Some reports at the time list her age as 15.
- September 3, 2025: A Tesla registered to D4vd is ticketed for a parking violation.
- September 5, 2025: The car is towed and impounded.
- September 8, 2025: After a foul odor is reported coming from the vehicle, authorities discover Rivas' body in the trunk. Police tell NBC News they also search a nearby home; per ABC News, D4vd does not own it but had allegedly been staying there before heading out on tour.
- Mid-September 2025: A spokesperson for D4vd tells NBC News he is fully cooperating. He cancels the rest of his tour and delays the deluxe release of his album 'Withered.' At that point, he had not been charged or publicly named as a suspect.
- September 29, 2025: The ME says the initial exam is complete but additional studies are needed, warning that deferred cause-of-death rulings can take months.
- Thursday, April 16: D4vd is arrested in connection with Rivas' killing and, per multiple outlets, is being held without bail. Some reports say he was charged with murder; his legal team disputes that characterization (more below).
- Wednesday, April 22: The ME releases the official cause of death as homicide by multiple penetrating injuries and provides the toxicology caveats noted above.
Where things stand with D4vd
D4vd, 21, known for the breakout track 'Romantic Homicide,' was arrested on April 16 in connection with the case and is being held without bail. His attorneys say the situation is not as straightforward as headlines make it sound:
Let us be clear - the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death. There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David's innocence.
To underline the timeline wrinkle: when Rivas' body was found in September 2025, D4vd was on tour and had not been charged. The arrest happened months later. Police and prosecutors have not publicly laid out their full theory of the case.
Details around the discovery
Authorities say Rivas may have been dead for several weeks before the Tesla was discovered at the impound lot on September 8, 2025. The vehicle had been cited on September 3 and towed on September 5. The ME initially deferred the cause of death pending further testing, which is standard in complex cases.
What Rivas' family has said
Rivas' mother told TMZ (in a September 17 story) that her daughter had a boyfriend named David and a small 'Shhhh' tattoo on her finger; D4vd has the same tattoo. After Rivas was identified, her family set up a GoFundMe for funeral expenses, describing her as a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend, and saying they were devastated by the loss. The campaign topped $24,000, and the family said services would be held Sunday, October 5.
The bottom line
The medical examiner has now ruled Rivas' death a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries. The toxicology is partly unresolved due to conflicting screens. D4vd has been arrested and is being held without bail, while his attorneys insist there is no indictment or criminal complaint and that he is detained on suspicion only. Expect more procedural updates as tests are finalized and the case moves (slowly) through the system.