It’s a story that hit like a gut punch — 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, reported missing multiple times in 2024, turned up dead inside a black Tesla registered to singer D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke). Her body, badly decomposed and wrapped inside a bag, was discovered on September 8 at a Hollywood tow yard after workers reported a foul odor.
According to authorities, the car had been ticketed in the Hollywood Hills just days before the grim find. On August 27, a parking enforcement officer marked its tires, then issued a citation on September 3 for violating the 72-hour parking rule — and by September 5, the car was impounded. Neighbors say it sat on that street for over a month.
When officers finally opened the trunk, they discovered Celeste’s remains in a sealed bag. The medical examiner described her body as “severely decomposed” and said she may have been inside the vehicle for an “extended period of time.” Though the investigation is active, the cause and manner of her death remain undetermined — the medical examiner lists the cause of death as “deferred,” pending lab and toxicology results.
At the center of this case is a tattoo: Celeste’s right index finger bore the words “Shhh…,” a detail that struck many because it mirrors a similar tattoo on D4vd himself. Authorities served a search warrant at a Hollywood Hills home where Burke had been staying, seizing computers and electronics. Shortly after, he and his manager vacated the rental.
Meanwhile, Celeste’s hometown of Lake Elsinore is reeling. Those who knew her describe her as a gentle, intelligent student who ran away a few times but always came home. A GoFundMe campaign organized by her family raised nearly $25,000 for funeral costs, and a memorial service was scheduled for early October.
As of now, no arrests have been made. The LAPD’s robbery-homicide division continues to dig into her last known movements, whether she had any connection to Burke, and exactly how her body ended up in his Tesla. Detectives are working through every lead — but until the autopsy reveals more, this case remains shrouded in mystery.
