In the often-glamorous, yet frequently murky, world of celebrity, the line between art and reality can sometimes blur with devastating consequences. The music industry, particularly the indie R&B scene, has been rocked by a shocking scandal involving breakout star D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke. Once hailed as the authentic voice of a new generation, the 20-year-old artist now stands accused of a heinous crime: the murder of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. A series of alleged leaks, including a demo track, private Discord chats, and call transcripts, paint a chilling picture that has shattered his career and ignited a firestorm of outrage across the internet.

The scandal first exploded onto the public consciousness with a leaked demo track titled “Celeste,” which surfaced online on September 17, 2025 – tragically, the exact same day Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains were officially confirmed. This wasn’t just a song; it was a “2-minute and 47-second confession dressed up as an R&B ballad.” Fans were horrified to realize that “he literally sang about the murder before anyone even knew what happened.” The track, laid over D4vd’s signature lo-fi sound, featured haunting lyrics that struck an eerie chord. Investigators later confirmed the voice and production matched D4vd’s style, and metadata revealed it was recorded in December 2023 at a Hollywood home studio – a full four months before Celeste went missing.

The lyrics themselves sent shivers down the spines of listeners and investigators alike. The bridge of the song allegedly name-drops Celeste, painting details that “eerily match the real crime.” He sings, “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.” This disturbing passage is followed by, “Missing you so much makes me depressed, but I digress because TMZ just last night…” before the track abruptly cuts into an instrumental solo, as if D4vd “realized mid-song what he was revealing.” The “tattooed on her chest” line loosely aligns with Celeste’s actual “shh” finger tattoo, which D4vd later got himself in September 2024 – a detail many now see as a twisted memorial or trophy. The line “Smell her on my clothes like cigarettes” became even more horrifying when tow-yard workers reportedly swore that the Tesla where Celeste’s body was found “reeked of a foul, rotten stench after sitting there for months.”

The leaked demo track, first hitting X (formerly Twitter), allegedly came from a Dropbox file passed to a producer in January 2024. Within hours, the post went viral, spiraling across TikTok, YouTube, and SoundCloud. By September 18, the track had amassed over 1.5 million streams, with fans morbidly dubbing it “D4vd’s Murder Ballad.”

However, the song was just the tip of the iceberg. What truly flipped this case upside down were leaked Discord chats and supposed call transcripts, pointing to something far darker: a “coordinated coverup.” Approximately 8 to 10 screenshots from D4vd’s private fan Discord, dated between March and August 2024, allegedly show him “plotting how to get rid of Celeste’s body while straight up bragging about silencing her for good.” A particularly damning message from April 10, 2024, just days after Celeste vanished, allegedly showed D4vd typing in a private chat: “Celeste flipped out last night, had to calm her permanent, wrapped her tight in the FR plastic from Amazon, park it in Hollywood Hills, let it sit till towed, no tickets on it yet.” When a member warned of the risks of body disposal, D4vd purportedly replied, “Tour alibi covers me, send $1,000 each for silence, she’s gone quiet forever.”

These words mirrored the gruesome reality that would later unfold. Celeste’s remains were indeed discovered “dismembered, crammed into a black duffel bag, and wrapped in layers of plastic,” exactly as described in the alleged messages. The chilling phrase “quiet forever” was interpreted by fans as D4vd “literally bragging about the murder.”

Further solidifying the chilling narrative were leaked call transcripts. One from April 11, 2024, allegedly captured a 28-minute call where D4vd said, “Yo Celeste wouldn’t stop texting threats, had to end it quick, chokehold in the car, now she’s packed, smells already, drive the Tesla to the hills tomorrow, leave keys under Matt, towyard handles the rest, body rots quiet.” This “chokehold” line sent shockwaves through the investigation, as the official cause of death, while still under review, is considering strangulation. The plan described perfectly matched reality: the Tesla was found ditched in the Hollywood Hills after being towed for unpaid tickets. Another transcript from July 15, 2024, allegedly caught him “flexing,” stating, “law she silenced, Eternal Trunk Tomb, no traces, bragged to the song but fans too dumb, paid all to forget, now it’s my best plot.” These lines suggest not only a confession but a twisted sense of pride in his actions, turning his crimes into art and mocking his own supporters. The leaks also hinted at “hush money,” with screenshots allegedly showing D4vd sending over $8,000 via Venmo and Cash App with notes like “for the Celeste, things stay silent.”

D4vd’s representatives are scrambling, dismissing all these leaks as “malicious edits aimed to smear an innocent star.” However, the LAPD has not ruled anything out, acknowledging that “way too many of these alleged messages line up exactly with details police already uncovered at the crime scene,” including the “timing, the location, the way the body was wrapped.” The alleged arrogance of using his tour as an alibi while Celeste’s body decomposed in his abandoned Tesla in the Hollywood Hills has left the public aghast.

The internet’s reaction has been unprecedented. Hashtags like #d4vdleaks and #justiceforCeleste pulled in over 1.2 billion views in days. Fans who once saw D4vd as a “wholesome young R&B voice now felt betrayed beyond words.” The sentiment was overwhelmingly “devastated, disgusted, and ready to cancel him for good.” The “eerie overlap between art and crime” truly sealed the public’s conviction, creating a sense of betrayal that was raw and painful.

Grooming allegations have further fueled the fire. Fans are connecting the dots, alleging D4vd groomed Celeste “for years before things spiraled,” manipulating her when she was barely a teen before allegedly killing her at 15. Leaked Discord clips even suggested he had been messaging Celeste since she was 12. Celeste’s mother, Maria Hernandez, told TMZ that her daughter had mentioned a boyfriend named David and had talked about visiting LA, though the family never approved these trips.

D4vd’s response has been marked by silence and cancellations. He abruptly canceled Seattle shows and postponed San Francisco dates, citing “personal matters.” This sudden vanishing act from an artist known for oversharing has only intensified suspicions. His team’s carefully worded statements, dismissing the evidence as “coincidental art twisted into lies” while offering prayers for Celeste’s family, have been met with public scorn, particularly when the lyrics and leaked chats so closely mirror the crime scene details.

The internet has split into three main camps: nearly 70% believe D4vd is guilty of a premeditated crime, citing the leaked screenshots, matching tattoos, and chilling lyrics. A smaller group argues he was framed, pointing to his tour alibi and questioning the authenticity of the leaks. A third theory suggests Celeste’s death was not premeditated murder but a fight that “spiraled out of control,” leading to a rushed coverup.

The saga of D4vd and Celeste Rivas has sparked comparisons to infamous scandals like R. Kelly, where fame and power shielded disturbing behavior. This case, still active as of September 18, 2025, highlights how unchecked fame and unfiltered access to vulnerable young fans can spiral into something terrifying. While D4vd has not been formally charged, his career is in ruins, and the world holds its breath, waiting for justice for Celeste Rivas, and whether those leaked confessions prove to be chillingly true.