D4vd Case: How the body was discovered now shocks

The discovery of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside a Tesla registered to musician D4vd turned a routine parking complaint into one of the most disturbing cases to surface in Los Angeles this year. The sequence began with an abandoned car and ended with investigators opening a zippered cadaver bag at a Hollywood tow yard. Details released in court filings have made the timeline of that find central to public understanding of the case.

Parking violation draws attention

Residents on Bluebird Avenue in the Hollywood Hills noticed the black Tesla sitting for days. The car had been left near D4vd’s residence, and neighbors called authorities about the extended stay. Officers issued a 72-hour parking citation and arranged for the vehicle to be towed.

Hollywood Tow Service took possession of the car on September 5 or 6, 2025. The Tesla sat among other impounded vehicles without immediate inspection. Standard procedure placed the vehicle in storage pending owner retrieval.

D4vd himself was on his Withered world tour when the Tesla was moved. The car remained unclaimed while the singer continued performing dates across the country.

Worker notices unusual smell

On September 8, a tow-yard employee detected a strong odor coming from one of the vehicles. The smell stood out against the usual mix of oil, exhaust, and dust at the facility. The worker alerted supervisors rather than attempting to investigate alone.

LAPD officers responded to the report of a foul odor from a vehicle. They arrived at the Hollywood Tow Service lot prepared for a welfare check or possible hazardous material situation. The call came the day after what would have been Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s 15th birthday.

Officers approached the Tesla and confirmed the odor was concentrated around the front trunk area. The smell was described as decomposition rather than mechanical failure or spoiled food.

Cadaver bag found in trunk

Investigators opened the front trunk and found a black zippered cadaver bag. Insects covered the surface of the bag, and the odor of decay was immediate and intense. Court documents later described the bag as emitting a strong smell of decomposition.

Partial unzipping revealed a decomposed head and torso. A second black bag underneath contained the severed arms and legs. The body had been placed in two separate containers inside the same compartment.

The remains weighed 71 pounds at the time of discovery. Advanced decomposition made visual identification impossible at the scene. Investigators secured the vehicle and treated the area as a crime scene.

Initial scene processing

Crime scene technicians documented the placement of both bags inside the Tesla. They noted the location of the vehicle within the impound lot and collected any visible evidence around the trunk area. The Tesla was later moved to a secure facility for further examination.

Photographs and measurements taken at the tow yard became part of the early case file. Officers established a perimeter while waiting for additional personnel. The discovery remained contained to law enforcement at this stage.

News of the find did not surface publicly until days later. The impound lot continued normal operations while investigators worked inside the restricted section.

Identification through dental records

The medical examiner’s office received the remains on September 8. Dental records were requested as the primary method of identification given the condition of the body. The process took several days to complete.

On September 16, authorities confirmed the remains belonged to Celeste Rivas Hernandez. She had been reported missing earlier in the summer. The identification shifted the case from an unknown remains investigation to a named homicide inquiry.

Family members were notified following the positive match. Public records show no prior connection between the singer and the victim had been established at that point in the investigation.

Vehicle registration ties to D4vd

DMV records showed the Tesla registered to David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd. The registration matched the singer’s known address in the Hollywood Hills. Investigators confirmed the vehicle had been in his possession prior to the discovery.

The car had been abandoned for several days before the parking citation. No evidence indicated anyone else had driven the Tesla after it was left on Bluebird Avenue. The registration link immediately placed D4vd at the center of the inquiry.

Police obtained warrants to search additional properties associated with the singer. The focus remained on tracing the vehicle’s movements in the weeks before the body was placed inside it.

Media attention follows identification

Local outlets began reporting the connection between the remains and the registered owner once identification was released. National coverage followed within hours. The combination of a young victim, a high-profile musician, and the unusual discovery location drove the story.

Social media platforms saw rapid discussion of the case details as they emerged. Fans of D4vd expressed shock at the reports, while others focused on the circumstances of the discovery itself. The story remained prominent on local news for several days.

Entertainment trade publications covered the case from the angle of how the discovery might affect the singer’s touring schedule and upcoming releases. The focus stayed on verified facts rather than speculation about motive or timeline.

Tour schedule at time of find

D4vd was performing dates on the Withered tour when the body was discovered. The Tesla had been left near his residence while he traveled for shows. Tour dates continued in the days immediately following the tow-yard discovery.

Public statements from the singer’s team remained limited in the first week. The investigation proceeded without public comment from D4vd while authorities gathered evidence. The tour schedule became part of the timeline investigators examined.

Subsequent dates were later affected once charges were filed. The discovery at the impound lot remained the central event that shifted the case from missing person to homicide investigation.

Evidence handling after discovery

The Tesla was held as evidence following the initial examination at the tow yard. Investigators processed both the interior and exterior of the vehicle for additional forensic material. The two bags and their contents were transferred to the medical examiner for further analysis.

Autopsy results and additional testing were conducted over the following weeks. The condition of the remains required specialized procedures for examination. All evidence was logged through standard chain-of-custody protocols.

Court documents later referenced the insect activity and decomposition stage as factors in establishing time of death estimates. The physical evidence collected at the impound lot formed the foundation of the prosecution’s case.

Case continues forward

The discovery at Hollywood Tow Service remains the pivotal moment that brought the remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez to light. Routine enforcement of parking regulations led directly to the recovery of evidence in a homicide investigation. The sequence of events continues to shape how the case is understood in court proceedings and public discussion.