(updated on 09/19/2025 @ 5:38 p.m.: Police have searched the home of D4vd in connection to the death of Celeste Rivas.)
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At only 13 years old, Celeste Rivas ran away from her home in Lake Elsinore, Calif. Her loved ones reported her missing — but because this wasn’t the first time Rivas ran away, most folks thought she would return home soon. Over a year passed before her decomposed body was discovered, and how it connects to singer D4vd is something out of a true crime podcast.
According to KABC, Rivas called home at the end of May 2024, but had not been heard from since. At the time of her disappearance, the teen reportedly had a boyfriend, who her mother later identified as David, although it’s unclear if the mother ever met him, according to TMZ.
The year-long search for Rivas continued until Monday (Sep. 8) when Los Angeles authorities were called to an impound lot on reports of a foul smell, TMZ first reported. The decomposed body of Rivas — who was 15 when found — was discovered chopped into pieces, wrapped in plastic and stuffed inside the trunk of a Tesla.
It didn’t take long for investigators to determine D4vd owns the Tesla. And now, the singer has canceled the remaining dates on his “Withered World Tour.” He was set to appear in Los Angeles Saturday (Sep. 20) and at the L.A. Grammy Museum on Sept. 24. Those dates were quietly removed from the venue websites, Variety reported.
Who Is D4vd?
David “D4vd” Burke, a 20-year-old singer from Texas, rose to fame with his 2022 track “Romantic Homicide,” which now has over 179 million views on YouTube. The next year, D4vd became the opening act for SZA’s SOS Tour and has since amassed a huge following online.
With a song featured on Amazon Prime’s “Invincible” soundtrack and features from Korean boy band Stray Kids, and Spanish singer Kali Uchis, D4vd’s career was quickly headed to the top. Now, he’s in the middle of a world tour — but that has all been overshadowed by Rivas’ death.
Since the discovery, artists and brands have distanced themselves from D4vd. His collaboration with Uchis is being pulled, and he’s been dropped from campaigns with Hollister and Crocs, Men’s Journal reported.
It took days for officials to identify Rivas, given the state of the decomposition. At first, all that was released to the public was the fact that the girl had “Shhh…” tattooed in red ink on her right index finger. TMZ soon confirmed D4vd has the same tattoo in black ink…and that’s not the only thing allegedly connecting the two.
Resurfaced Music, Photos Allegedly Link Rivas and D4vd
As early as 2023, D4vd allegedly made references to Rivas in his music and even posted pictures with her. According to TMZ, D4vd confessed his love for a person named Celeste — the first name of the victim — in a leaked song from Dec. 2023. Although it’s unclear if D4vd’s Celeste is the same as the deceased, the song’s lyrics paint an interesting picture:
“Oh, Celeste / The girl with my name tattooed on her chest / Smell her on my clothes like cigarettes / I hear her voice each time I take a breath / I’m obsessed… Oh, Celeste / Afraid you’ll only love me when undressed / But you look so damn gorgeous in that dress / Missing you so much makes me depressed / But I digress,” D4vd sings.
Additionally, fans online continue to share old photos of who appears to be D4vd and Rivas together. These pictures have not been verified yet by authorities. D4vd has not been arrested in connection to the case, although police searched the Los Angeles home he was staying at, according to ABC News. Police say he’s been cooperating with the investigation
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