The ongoing investigation into the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has been met with a fiercely controversial counter-narrative, championed by online commentator Charleston White. Despite the dismembered body being found in a Tesla registered to singer David Anthony Burke (D4vd), White has publicly and repeatedly declared the artist innocent, asserting that the very lack of an arrest is the clearest sign of his innocence.

The Core Argument: A Systemic Paradox

Charleston White’s defense is rooted in his belief that the American justice system does not allow young Black men to “get away with these kind of crimes.” His central points are:

The Power of Non-Arrest: White argues that in America, especially for young Black men, arrests are made on far less evidence every day. He contends that if law enforcement truly possessed the “smoking gun” needed, D4vd would have been immediately arrested and detained—not allowed to remain free and continue touring.
The O.J. Simpson Comparison: To bolster his case, White invoked the infamous O.J. Simpson trial, noting that Simpson was arrested immediately despite the evidence being circumstantial. He used this historical context to question why D4vd, who supposedly had a body found in his own car, was still moving freely.
A Calculated Setup: White has speculated that the circumstances are “too neat,” suggesting the possibility of a setup. He openly raised theories that a third party, such as family members, a pimp, or a “racist uncle,” could have murdered Celeste and intentionally framed the high-profile singer.

Controversy and the Role of Race

White’s commentary is deeply intertwined with his personal, volatile history, which includes a murder conviction as a teenager and a career built on generating viral outrage. His defense did not shy away from deeply offensive rhetoric, including victim-blaming, but his focus remained on the racial angle: for a Black man to be given this kind of leeway in a case involving a white-passing minor and gruesome evidence, the case against him must be fundamentally flawed.

Impact on the Public Narrative

Despite White having no legal expertise, his unfiltered and confrontational style has given his words significant traction, effectively shaping the public narrative:

Public Division: His defense has split the internet, empowering a segment of D4vd’s fans to create hashtags like #freeDavid and repeat his mantra, believing he is speaking an uncomfortable truth.
Media Reaction: Mainstream outlets and brands that had quickly cut ties with the singer were forced to address White’s commentary. The public debate shifted from dissecting the crime to debating the system’s fairness, creating a state of limbo where D4vd’s career remains suspended.
Investigative Stalling: White has seized on the slow, methodical pace of the investigation and the official line of “no arrests have been made” as proof of a stalled, weak case. Law enforcement, meanwhile, is reportedly taking its time to build an airtight case to avoid rushing charges that could be lost in court, a caution that only seems to fuel White’s claims.

Ultimately, Charleston White’s involvement has transformed the case into a cultural storm, making D4vd’s alleged innocence a topic as viral and debated as the crime itself.