On Tuesday, authorities said Houston-born singer D4vd is being treated as a suspect in the death of a 15-year-old girl. Her decomposed remains were found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to him. No criminal charges have been filed, and investigators are still reviewing forensic and digital evidence. Toxicology and other lab results are pending.
What investigators say
According to Click2Houston, an LAPD source told NBC4 that David Anthony Burke, the artist known as d4vd, is being treated as a suspect. The source said he "not been cooperative with the investigation" and that detectives believe the teen likely died in the spring. Investigators also suspect that multiple people may have helped in dismembering and disposing of the body.
Coverage from other outlets
Outlets that rely on law-enforcement sources, including TMZ and the New York Post, have reported that investigators are focusing on Burke and are analyzing surveillance, vehicle and phone data. Those reports also note that police have not publicly filed formal paperwork naming him as a suspect and that no arrests have been made.
How the body was found
Officials say the remains were discovered on September 8 after employees at Hollywood Tow reported a foul odor coming from an impounded Tesla, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified the victim as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas and listed the cause of death as deferred pending additional testing. Detectives described the remains as severely decomposed and said the body was found packed inside a bag in the car's front trunk.
Searches in Los Angeles and Houston
Detectives served a warrant at a Hollywood Hills home on Doheny Drive and removed computers and other items, per reporting by NBC Los Angeles. In Texas, Harris County deputies told Click2Houston they responded this month to a Cypress property tied to a trust connected to Burke, but officials say those were false alarms and that no search warrants have been executed locally in the probe.
Legal status and next steps
Los Angeles prosecutors say the matter remains under investigation and that the district attorney's office has not yet been presented with a charging package, as noted by Complex. The LAPD has declined to publicly confirm a suspect designation while it awaits toxicology and other forensic results that could change how the case is classified.
Anyone with information the LAPD believes could help the probe is asked to contact the department's Robbery-Homicide Division or LA Regional Crime Stoppers, authorities told reporters. The case remains active, and detectives say forensic testing and analysis of seized devices could take weeks to complete.
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