The tragic and complex case of David Anthony Burke, the Houston-born artist known as D4vd, and the horrific death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, continues to escalate with a stunning and deeply unsettling development. New footage has allegedly surfaced that shows D4vd attending the funeral of his former girlfriend, the very young girl whose decomposed and dismembered remains were found in the trunk of his Tesla Model Y. This alleged appearance, amidst a spiraling homicide investigation that has implicated him as the prime suspect, raises urgent and disturbing questions: was this a move to mock the devastated family, an act of warped psychological control, or a calculated, final move before facing justice?

The discovery that ignited this inferno occurred on September 8, 2025, when LAPD responded to a foul odor complaint at a tow yard. Inside a 2023 Tesla registered to Burke, they found the remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, wrapped in a bag in the frunk. The situation instantly transformed D4vd’s soaring career—built on grassroots hustle, viral TikTok fame, and the dark, moody lyrics of his hit “Romantic Homicide”—into the center of a sickening criminal probe. His rise from recording in his sister’s closet to becoming an Interscope signee and opening for acts like SZA now serves as a harrowing prelude to a story of alleged grooming, manipulation, and murder.

The Confession in the Lyrics and the Alter Ego

The narrative surrounding D4vd has shifted dramatically, with his music and public statements now being scrutinized as potential confessions or macabre foreshadowing. His breakout hit, “Romantic Homicide,” originally interpreted as an expression of heartbreak and depression, now resonates with a chilling, literal meaning. Lyrics like, “In the back of my mind I killed you,” have turned his most famous song into what many now view as a disturbing, artistic pre-confession.

This disturbing pattern is compounded by D4vd’s own words about his creative process. In past interviews, he had discussed having an evil alter ego named “Itami,” a fantasy figure who would “commit the crimes that I would have to solve as a detective.” This notion of a dual personality—one the victim-solver, the other the ruthless perpetrator—now seems eerily connected to the real-life situation, leading mental health experts and the public alike to question the line between his artistic fiction and his reality.

Furthermore, his live performances before the body was discovered were saturated with funeral themes. He would bring actual caskets on stage, hand out wreaths, and encourage audience members to write notes to the “deceased.” What fans once viewed as edgy, dark artistic expression is now seen as a sickening theatricalization of a crime he was allegedly preparing for or had already committed.

The Digital Breadcrumbs: Grooming and Obsession

The police investigation, aided by a torrent of digital evidence, has constructed a timeline of alleged systematic predatory behavior dating back years. Celeste, who had a history of running away from home, was tragically vulnerable. Her connection to D4vd was not a secret to her inner circle.

The digital trail is extensive and damning:

Discord Messages: Screenshots from D4vd’s Discord server allegedly show conversations with a user named Celeste dating back to 2021 when she was only 11 years old, and continuing until her tragic death. One disturbing message, sent in August 2024, showed a user in D4vd’s inner circle asking him, during a song crisis, to “Drop the one with the missing girl Celeste,” indicating awareness of her missing person status.
The Pregnancy Theory: Alleged Discord screenshots hinted at a deeper, more dangerous relationship, with D4vd reportedly responding to a question about his relationship status by saying, “Me and deleted user got a kid on the way.” While unconfirmed by official sources, the theory that an alleged pregnancy might have served as a motive for the murder has gained considerable traction among those following the case.
The Unreleased Track: An alleged unreleased track from 2023 titled “Celeste” surfaced online, with lyrics described as obsessive and intimate. Lines like, “Oh Celeste, the girl with my name tattooed on her chest, I’m obsessed,” revealed an unhealthy fixation that moved beyond a typical artist-fan relationship.

In addition to the digital breadcrumbs, a former teacher of Celeste’s at Lakeland Village Middle School revealed in a TikTok video that Celeste had bragged to classmates about meeting the singer online when she was 13, running away to Hollywood to be with him, being found by the police, and then disappearing again in 2024. This confirmed that the relationship was an established, and allegedly predatory, affair that had been playing out for years. Furthermore, photos showed D4vd in Lake Elsinore, mere minutes from Celeste’s family home, fueling speculation that he was paying off friends and classmates to maintain the secrecy of his involvement with the underage girl.

The Fall of a Star and the Demand for Justice

The discovery immediately severed D4vd’s professional lifeline. Innercope Records swiftly paused all promotion for his upcoming deluxe album. Major brand partners, including Crocs and Hollister, cut all ties and scrubbed him from their marketing campaigns, demonstrating the industry’s quick decision to declare D4vd toxic. Other artists, like Kaylee Uchis, publicly removed their collaborations with him, citing the gravity of the allegations.

The public reaction has been intense and emotional. The streaming community, which had initially embraced him, felt betrayed, with many creators quickly distancing themselves. The intense backlash and morbid curiosity surrounding the case even caused his streaming numbers to rise, ironically sending “Romantic Homicide” back up the charts. The official subreddit dedicated to D4vd had to be locked down after fans accused him of personally moderating the forum to delete critical posts, suggesting an attempt to control the narrative even as the walls closed in.

The legal process is moving forward, albeit slowly. Law enforcement executed search warrants at the Hollywood Hills house where D4vd had been staying, collecting computers and other evidence. Despite the mounting public pressure and the wealth of evidence, no arrests have been made, leading to widespread frustration and demands for swift justice from Celeste’s family and community in Lake Elsinore.

The alleged sighting of D4vd at Celeste’s funeral is the latest, most chilling twist. If confirmed, such an appearance would represent an act of profound psychological complexity—a mixture of sick defiance and perhaps a sign of a psyche fracturing under the strain of guilt and exposure. The audacity required to face the family while knowing his car concealed the devastating truth speaks to the depths of the psychological turmoil at the heart of this case.

The tragedy of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has evolved into a powerful cultural moment, forcing difficult conversations about the dark side of social media fame, the vulnerability of young fans, and the responsibility of influential figures. Her story has become a rallying cry for better protection of young people in digital spaces and a stark, unforgettable reminder that behind the carefully crafted personas of fame, a truly devastating darkness can lurk. The fight for accountability continues, driven by the hope that Celeste’s death will lead to justice and lasting change.