A chilling discovery has emerged from the Hollywood Hills rental property of musical artist D4vd, also known as David Anthony Burke. A private investigator has reportedly uncovered a ‘burn cage’ incinerator capable of reaching temperatures as high as 1600°F, with the terrifying potential to cremate a human body.
The 20-year-old singer has been under a cloud of suspicion following the tragic death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The 15-year-old’s decomposing body was discovered in the trunk of Burke’s impounded Tesla on September 8, just a day after her birthday. At the time, Burke was traveling across the country on tour.
In the wake of this grim discovery, homicide detectives executed a search warrant at the Hollywood Hills rental property, valued at $4.1 million, where Burke had been residing. During their search, authorities seized several pieces of evidence in connection to the case.
The property’s owner, Mladen Trifunovic, took the initiative to hire private investigator Steve Fischer in an effort to ascertain whether the young girl had ever been present at his residence. Fischer’s investigation led to the unsettling revelation of the ‘burn cage’ at the luxurious Los Angeles abode previously occupied by Burke.
The residence’s owner, Mladen Trifunovic, hired private investigator Steve Fischer after the search to look into whether the teen girl had ever stayed at the home.
Now, Fischer said that a ‘burn cage’ with enough power to turn a dead person’s body to ashes had been found at the ritzy Los Angeles spot once occupied by Burke.
‘Given that Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains were ultimately found in the Tesla [trunk], the presence of an incinerator at the same residence associated with that vehicle necessarily raises questions about intent,’ he said Tuesday on X.
Private investigator Steve Fischer said a ‘burn cage’ that could reach up to 1600°F had been found at the Hollywood Hills rental where the singer D4vd stayed
D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was deemed a suspect in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 15, last month, according to TMZ
Fischer said the burn cage was delivered to Burke’s rented home under a false name. The deliveries had been accepted at the Hollywood Hills residence.
The private investigator called the items found in D4vd’s home things that ‘you would expect to find on a farm rather than in a home in the Hollywood Hills.’
Fischer said: ‘One of those items was a Burn Cage incinerator, advertised to burn at 1,600 degrees. Human cremations are typically performed at approximately 1,400 degrees.’
‘An incinerator is not legal to use within city limits and serves no legitimate purpose at a residential property in the Hollywood Hills,’ he added.
Fischer pushed back against arguments claiming that the incinerator could have been a prop for a music video.
He asked, ‘Why would a 55-pound burn cage be delivered to a private residence instead of directly to a prop designer or production house? Why would it be ordered before departing on an extended world tour? And why was it never used in any video production?’
Though the burn cage pictured by Fischer was never used, he said its mere presence raised questions about D4vd’s behavior and intent.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 15, was found decomposing in the trunk of his impounded Tesla on September 8, one day after her 15th birthday
‘We think it’s important context,’ Fischer said. ‘Even if not criminal.’
The incinerator attached to Fischer’s X posts appeared to be from DR Power Equipment. Its box read: ‘Professional power done right.’
Burke’s Tesla had been abandoned for days near Doheny Place and Bluebird Avenue, just blocks from the four-bedroom rental home.
The singer’s manager, Josh Marshall, signed the lease in February 2024 – the same month that Celeste was first reported missing from her family’s home in Lake Elsinore.
Trifunovic previously told the Daily Mail that Marshall had asked to terminate the lease after Los Angeles police raided the home and subsequently began moving out both his and Burke’s belongings.
‘Like everyone else, I want to know who is responsible for this and how a little girl’s disappearance could slip through so many layers of responsibility,’ he told the Daily Mail.
The homeowner added that ‘you never imagine for one second that a property you own could be dragged into something like this.’
The private investigator asked: ‘Why would a 55-pound burn cage be delivered to a private residence instead of directly to a prop designer or production house?’
Burke was determined a suspect in Celeste’s death last month, TMZ reported, although he has not been charged with any wrongdoings to date.
With the rampant speculation surrounding her death, the LAPD obtained a court order forbidding the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office from releasing any details about the teen girl’s autopsy. Her case was also removed from the Medical Examiner’s website.
In a prepared statement, chief medical examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo pushed back against the order.
‘The practice of security holds is virtually unheard of in other counties and has not been proven to improve outcomes in the legal system,’ he said.
‘We are dedicated to serving our community with full transparency; however, the law precludes us from doing so while the court order remains in effect in this case.’
The general manager of Burke’s record label, Robert Morgenroth, spent the entire day speaking to a grand jury in Los Angeles about Celeste’s death, according to TMZ.
The manager was asked why he didn’t contact the authorities, though the context of what the initial incident he would have contacted them over wasn’t immediately clear.
