The quiet hum of everyday life in the Hollywood Hills was shattered two weeks ago by a stench so profound it led to a discovery that has since sent tremors through the entertainment world and a family’s heart. Tucked away in the frunk—the front trunk—of an impounded Tesla, lay the badly decomposed body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The grim finding, made by LAPD detectives, revealed a young girl who, in all likelihood, spent her 15th birthday, the day before her body was found, alone and lifeless in that confined space.

The Tesla itself belonged to a burgeoning R&B artist, known as D4VD, who was on a global tour at the time of the discovery. Yet, the spotlight has now irrevocably shifted from his musical ascent to a deeply unsettling mystery. D4VD has since vanished from public view, gone radio silent as a cascade of disturbing connections between him and the deceased teenager continue to surface. Law enforcement, in a rare public statement, has confirmed they are actively seeking more evidence linking the singer, whose real name is David, to Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

A Grim Discovery and Tight-Lipped Detectives

The LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division, renowned for its discretion, is uncharacteristically tight-lipped. A statement released to the NewsNation show “Banfield” confirmed a search warrant was executed on September 17, 2025, at a property on the 1300 block of Dohaney Place, “in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.” Several items of evidence were recovered for analysis, and the investigation remains ongoing with detectives “following up on several leads.” The terse nature of the statement, however, belies the perplexing questions swirling around the case.

Initial reports regarding Celeste’s remains have added to the confusion. Speculation online questions how a “head and torso” could be found while simultaneously identifying a distinct tattoo on her right index finger—a detail not typically associated with a torso. The mention of black leggings and an almost unbelievable weight of 71 pounds for a 5’1” girl further fuels the enigma, leading to grim discussions about the extent of decomposition and whether other body parts were simply unidentifiable. Police are not confirming any further details, leaving a vacuum of information that only intensifies public scrutiny and anguish. The fundamental questions remain: How was she found? What could be assessed from the decomposition? Had she been there for months?

The Tesla, The Raid, and a Tour Interrupted

Neighbors in the Hollywood Hills reported that the Tesla, where Celeste’s remains were found, had been abandoned on the street for several months prior to its discovery, parked directly in front of the home where D4VD had been living. This very home, reportedly rented by the singer’s manager, became the target of an extensive 12-hour police raid. Detectives meticulously searched for blood stains, electronic devices, laptops, cell phones, and hard drives – anything that could shed light on Celeste’s final moments. The search likely extended to drains, anticipating any attempts to conceal evidence. However, given the potential duration the body was in the trunk, the likelihood of finding fresh evidence in household drains dwindles.

Coincidentally, or perhaps tellingly, on the very day the search warrant was executed, the remaining dates of D4VD’s US tour were abruptly canceled. Just days later, his entire global tour was scrapped, plunging his career into an unprecedented hiatus and intensifying suspicion.

A Disturbing Timeline of Connections

Celeste Rivas Hernandez was first reported missing in April 2024, at the tender age of 13. At that time, David had just turned 19. Now 20, the age disparity between them has become a critical point in the investigation.

On Sunday, September 21, a vigil for Celeste was held in her hometown of Lake Elsinore, some 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The significant distance between Lake Elsinore and LA raises questions about how a 13-year-old would traverse such a distance alone. Celeste’s brother, Matthew, told the press that on the day she disappeared, she was on her way to see a movie with her boyfriend – whose name, he stated, was David. Her mother had also previously mentioned Celeste seeing a “guy named David” before her disappearance.

While there is no definitive proof yet that the “David” Celeste was dating is the R&B singer, or that the “Celeste” the singer reportedly knew is the deceased teenager, the sheer volume of coincidences is staggering, a fact police are acutely aware of. “Police hate coincidences,” noted Ashleigh Banfield, and in this case, the coincidences began long before the tragic discovery.

A Troubling Digital Footprint

The digital breadcrumbs left behind paint an increasingly grim picture. As far back as October 2022, when Celeste was just 12 years old and David was 17, an unsettling exchange took place in a Discord group chat with his fans. David allegedly wrote, “Celeste in here?” to which a user named Celeste replied, “Hi David bark KKK KKK.” This exchange suggests a prior connection, potentially dating back to when Celeste was just 11.

Fast forward to December 2023, a demo of a love song by David, titled “Celeste,” mysteriously leaked online. Days later, on January 11, 2024, David appeared on a live stream with a girl strongly resembling Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The girl, visibly distressed, urged him, “We need to delete this,” prompting David to instruct moderators to “delete all videos then as soon as the stream ends delete the stream too.”

In February 2024, Celeste Rivas Hernandez went missing for the first time, though she later returned home. The same month, on February 26, 2024, a user commented on one of D4VD’s TikTok posts, stating, “Waiting for LAPD to get your ass for messing with a 13-year-old girl.” This ominous comment, made months before Celeste’s body was found, suggests that concerns about David’s relationship with a minor were already circulating within his fan base.

Then, on April 5, 2024, Celeste Rivas Hernandez was officially reported missing. Her brother’s account of her going to the movies with a “guy named David” resonates with chilling clarity.

Art Imitating Life, or Life Imitating Art?

Three months after Celeste’s disappearance, on June 27, 2024, D4VD reposted a TikTok video depicting someone chopping meat with the caption, “Me if I see her talk with other dudes.” While not illegal, the post takes on a profoundly disturbing significance in hindsight, given that Celeste’s body was found dismembered and decomposing. The question of whether her body was truly dismembered or simply heavily decomposed remains unanswered by the police, but the imagery of the repost is undeniably troubling when paired with the horrific reality.

In February 2025, David’s music video for his song “One More Dance” was released. The video features a body being dragged and placed into – you guessed it – the trunk of a car. David and his team will undoubtedly label it “art,” but the stark resemblance to the circumstances of Celeste’s death raises a deeply unsettling question: Is this merely art imitating life, or a chilling precursor? In the video, David himself plays both the killer and the victim, and he has publicly stated his fascination with gore.

A month later, in March 2025, David released his “Wii” album. By August 5, 2025, his world tour commenced. Just one month after that, on September 3, 2025, neighbors in the Hollywood Hills noticed D4VD’s Tesla abandoned on the street, emitting a foul odor. They initially suspected dead animals and called the police. Three days later, on September 6, the car was towed to an impound lot.

The very next day, September 7, marked Celeste’s 15th birthday. It is a heartbreaking assumption, but one that seems tragically likely, that she never lived to see it. The car had been abandoned for days, the smell worsening. On September 8, impound lot workers, overwhelmed by the worsening stench, contacted the police. Upon opening the trunk, they found Celeste’s badly decomposed remains, wrapped in plastic. The grim detail of her being wrapped in plastic begs the question: was it an attempt to preserve the car’s interior?

Crucially, the police discovered that Celeste, found in the trunk, bore the same tattoo on her right index finger as the singer David: “sh.” While a popular tattoo, the convergence of this detail with all the other coincidences deepens the mystery.

The Ongoing Investigation and its Implications

Much of the information regarding this case has been broken by TMZ, who have been relentlessly pursuing leads and even sharing details with the Robbery Homicide Unit. Charles Leabodier, executive producer of TMZ, confirmed that police were present at Celeste’s vigil, potentially looking for unusual attendees, though no obvious undercover presence was noted.

The online chatter around D4VD’s unsettling posts, including the meat-chopping TikTok and another showing him washing sneakers previously photographed on Celeste, forms a disturbing narrative. While these actions, individually, may not hold up in court, collectively, they paint a picture that is hard to ignore, especially when combined with his music video featuring a body in a trunk and reports of him selling blood-splattered merchandise.

Despite the mounting coincidences, D4VD is not currently named a suspect or person of interest, nor has he been arrested. However, his car is undeniably linked to the crime, and his home has been raided. Historically, such raids often precede arrests, as seen in other high-profile cases. Disturbingly, this entire saga appears to have boosted D4VD’s music career; his album re-entered the Billboard 200, and his song “Romantic Homicide” saw its biggest streaming week ever on Spotify, as curious listeners flock to his music.

The age discrepancy between David and Celeste continues to be a point of significant concern. The possibility of them having connected online when she was 11 or 12 raises serious legal questions, which could form the basis of charges should an arrest be made.

Adding another layer to this complex story, a video surfaced of a teacher cautioning students about social media, using a former student named Celeste as an example. He showed pictures of Celeste in his classroom, stating she had run away with a singer named David—yet another contemporaneous connection between Celeste, David, and the victim of some kind of crime.

The police’s continued silence might be a strategic move. The exact cause of Celeste’s death is unknown; it could have been an overdose, and those present panicked and disposed of her body, which while not murder, still involves significant criminal activity related to an underage individual. The presence of Celeste’s DNA in David’s home, for example, would prove she was there, but wouldn’t inherently prove a crime occurred, especially if she was a runaway simply staying there.

Investigators are likely relying heavily on the digital trail—text messages, phone records, and hard drives—to piece together what happened. If incriminating messages exist, they would provide crucial “hard evidence.” The challenge remains in untangling a potentially crowded environment; the house was reportedly a “party house,” suggesting many individuals may have been present, any of whom could be involved.

The advanced decomposition of Celeste’s body further complicates the forensic investigation. While severe injuries like skull fractures or broken bones could still be detected, the subtle story told by flesh—bruises, beatings—is likely lost. This makes the case exceptionally difficult, and the police’s calculated reticence aims to prevent anyone from “going underground” until they have secured all necessary evidence.

The search for truth in Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s tragic death is far from over. As the investigation continues, the community holds its breath, waiting for clarity in a case shrouded in mystery, celebrity, and a deeply disturbing series of events.