R&B Star D4vd Under Investigation in Dismemberment Death of 15-Year-Old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

When a black Tesla Model S Plaid was towed from a quiet stretch of Mulholland Drive in Hollywood Hills on September 15, 2025, no one expected to find the dismembered remains of a missing teenager inside. But that’s exactly what happened — and now, the spotlight has turned to 20-year-old R&B artist David, known professionally as D4vd, as the primary suspect in the murder of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez of Lake Elsinore.

The Discovery That Shook a Community

The car, bearing California license plate 4FJK672, had been sitting untouched for over 48 hours after neighbors reported condensation on its windows — an odd detail that triggered a routine patrol. At 2:18 a.m. on September 15, LAPD officers found it abandoned. By 9:05 a.m., workers at Metro Towing & Recovery in Los Angeles uncovered disturbing evidence: human tissue, bloodstains, and signs of violent dismemberment. DNA testing at the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office confirmed the remains belonged to Celeste, who had been missing since August 2, 2024, after she was last seen leaving Elsinore High School.

Her case had gone cold — until an anonymous tip in July 2025 connected her disappearance to D4vd. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department reopened the file. Surveillance footage later showed the singer’s Tesla parked near his rental home just blocks from where the car was eventually found. The timeline is chilling: Celeste vanished in August 2024. Her body was likely killed between August 10–15, 2024, according to the coroner’s report. Yet the car wasn’t discovered until over 13 months later.

Forensic Evidence Points to D4vd

The investigation uncovered damning forensic links. Celeste’s fingerprints were found on the Tesla’s center console. More critically, D4vd’s DNA was recovered under her fingernails — suggesting a physical struggle. Investigators also identified 47 phone calls between D4vd’s iPhone 15 Pro and Celeste’s Samsung Galaxy A14 in the 30 days before she disappeared. Text logs are still being analyzed, but sources say many occurred late at night.

Then there’s the trip no one expected. TMZ reported detectives are zeroing in on an unexplained overnight journey D4vd made during the spring equinox — between March 21 and May 20, 2025 — to a remote section of the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County. He was alone. He stayed for hours. No witnesses. No receipts. No explanation given to his management team at Downtown Records.

Even more unsettling: D4vd was performing at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater in Austin, Texas, on September 14, 2025 — just hours before the Tesla was found. He canceled all remaining tour dates the next day, including a scheduled show at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre.

Legal and Emotional Fallout

The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office made a rare public statement on November 21, 2025: "The police have not presented the case to our office so at this point I cannot anticipate one way or the other whether or not charges will be filed." That’s not a dismissal — it’s a pause. Prosecutors need more. The 450-page investigative report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is due December 15, 2025.

D4vd’s legal team, led by attorney Robert Schwartz of Schwartz Steinsapir Dohrmann & Sommers LLP, issued a statement on September 18: "Mr. David vehemently denies all allegations and is fully cooperating with authorities while maintaining his innocence." But cooperation doesn’t equal innocence — especially when the evidence is mounting.

Meanwhile, Celeste’s family remains silent. Neighbors in Lake Elsinore say she was quiet, artistic, and loved music — especially D4vd’s songs. "She had his posters on her wall," a classmate told KTLA. "She said he understood her. How could he do this?"

What Happens Next?

If prosecutors file charges, D4vd could face first-degree murder with special circumstances under California Penal Code Section 187(a) — including torture and dismemberment, which could mean life without parole or the death penalty. But California hasn’t executed anyone since 2006, and the state’s death penalty is currently under moratorium. Still, the symbolic weight is enormous.

Search warrants are active at D4vd’s recording studio on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Authorities are analyzing his hard drives, voice memos, and encrypted cloud backups. They’re also reviewing his social media activity from August 2024 — posts that were deleted, DMs that were erased. One fan found a cryptic Instagram Story from August 4, 2024 — just two days after Celeste vanished — showing a dark, blurred image of a car with the caption: "Some things are better left buried."

Why This Case Matters

This isn’t just another celebrity scandal. It’s a terrifying reminder of how easily predators can hide in plain sight — especially when they’re celebrated for their art. D4vd’s music often explores isolation, trauma, and emotional pain. Fans called him "the voice of the misunderstood." Now, that voice is being questioned as a possible instrument of violence.

The case also highlights systemic gaps in missing persons investigations. Celeste was reported missing in Riverside County. Her body was found in Los Angeles. Two agencies, two timelines, a year-long delay. Only when a tip connected the dots did the case move. How many others slip through?