The grieving father of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, who was tragically found murdered in the trunk of a Tesla, expressed his relief following the arrest of singer David Burke, known as D4vd, in connection with the crime. “Thank god, justice for Celeste,” he told TMZ.
Jesus Rivas made this heartfelt remark after Burke was apprehended by the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday. The 21-year-old is currently detained without bail under suspicion of murder.
The arrest follows the grim discovery of Celeste’s remains in the front trunk of a Tesla, which had been towed to a Hollywood impound lot. Authorities confirmed the vehicle was registered to Burke.
Burke had been identified as a suspect earlier this year, according to grand jury documents released by Los Angeles County.
Friends and family of Celeste suggest she was involved in a romantic relationship with Burke at the time of her death, which has added to the complexity of the case.
Celeste’s family reported her missing in the spring of 2024, when she disappeared from her Lake Elsinore home at the age of 13. Her disappearance and subsequent death have left the community in shock.
Rivas’s mother, who reported her missing three different times throughout 2024, has said her daughter was dating a guy she never met named ‘David’. It’s also been reported that the two shared matching ‘Sshhh’ tattoos on their right index fingers.
Friends of D4vd told TMZ that the two were ‘frequently’ seen together. They also believed he and Rivas were romantically involved.
Jesus Rivas, the father of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, was thankful that singer D4vd was arrested in connection with her killing
D4vd, real name David Burke, was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday. The case will be presented on Monday to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which will make the final charging decision
Rivas’s dismembered remains were discovered on September 8, 2025, when workers at Hollywood Tow called police to report a stench coming from a Tesla on their lot. Her head and torso were found in a plastic bag, police said.
The vehicle was registered to D4vd’s address in Texas, police said. According to investigators, the car had been abandoned on a public street for more than 72 hours, leading to it being impounded.
Neighbors said the Tesla was moved several times over the preceding three months before it was left on Bluebird Avenue in the Hollywood Hills.
Rivas was found a day after what would have been her 15th birthday, but authorities believe she likely died much earlier, with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office saying the remains were ‘severely decomposed.’
Based on that, the medical examiner determined Rivas had been deceased in the vehicle for ‘an extended period of time’.
She was wearing black leggings, a tube top, a yellow metal chain bracelet and stud earrings, according to the medical examiner.
After D4vd’s arrest, his legal team released a statement saying that he did not murder Rivas and that he did not cause her death. His lawyers also pointed out that the grand jury has not returned an indictment.
‘David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence,’ his lawyers said.
Pictured: The Tesla SUV where police say Rivas’s body was discovered on September 8, 2025
Pictured: The apartment that was raided by police in September after they got a search warrant
The case will be presented on Monday to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which will make the final charging decision.
The grand jury investigation into D4vd began in mid-November. Jurors were presented evidence by prosecutors and relevant individuals were called testify, including D4vd’s managers and friend, Neo Langston.
And in September, police obtained a search warrant for a home Burke had been staying at in the Hollywood Hills, where they seized a computer, according to ABC News.
Police have not disclosed details about what they may have found on the computer.
After Rivas’s death, the lyrics of D4vd’s songs were the subject of much scrutiny due to their violent nature.
In one of his most popular singles, ‘Romantic Homicide’, he sings about a love interest of his no longer being around.
‘In the back of my mind, I killed you… And I didn’t even regret it… I can’t believe I said it… But it’s true… I hate you,’ were the final words of the 2022 song.
D4vd rose to fame that same year after a string of viral TikTok hits.
His popularity led to collaborations with stars such as SZA and Kali Uchis. When Hernandez’s body was discovered, D4vd was on a tour, which was later canceled.
