The rising TikTok star behind "Romantic Homicide" has been taken into custody by the LAPD — here's everything we know about who he is, what happened, and what comes next.
Who is D4vd?
Born David Anthony Burke in Queens, New York and raised in Houston, Texas, D4vd is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter who became one of Gen Z's most recognizable voices almost entirely through social media. He started out recording vocals quietly in his sister's closet and uploading tracks to SoundCloud and YouTube, where he amassed a following playing Fortnite content alongside his music.
His breakthrough came in 2022 with two back-to-back viral hits — "Romantic Homicide" and "Here With Me" — both of which exploded on TikTok and shot up Spotify's global charts. The buzz led to a recording contract with Darkroom and Interscope Records that September, reportedly worth up to $6 million based on performance milestones. He has 3.8 million TikTok followers and dropped his debut studio album, Withered, in April 2025.
His estimated net worth sits between $2 million and $3 million, drawn from streaming royalties, live performances, and social media earnings.
The case: what we know
The case began unravelling in September 2025 when workers at a Hollywood tow yard reported that an impounded vehicle was giving off a strong Odor. Officers opened the front storage trunk of a 2023 Tesla Model Y — registered to D4vd — and found decomposed human remains inside two cadaver bags.
The victim was identified as Celeste Abigail Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl from Lake Elsinore, California, who had been reported missing multiple times in the year before her death. Her family had last heard from her in May 2024. She was the daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, and former classmates described her as sweet and studious.
D4vd and Celeste were previously in a romantic relationship. According to sources cited by TMZ, his friends believed she was a 19-year-old USC student because she had been spotted at multiple age-restricted events. A detail that drew widespread attention on social media: both shared matching "Shhh…" tattoos on their right index fingers.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, then 13, reported missing from Lake Elsinore. Last seen April 5.
Last contact with her family. Surveillance footage later places her alive through early 2025.
D4vd's Tesla, left abandoned in Hollywood Hills' Bird Streets neighbourhood, receives a parking ticket.
Tow yard workers alert LAPD. Celeste's remains are discovered in the front trunk. D4vd was on tour out of state at the time.
LAPD names D4vd as the prime suspect. A grand jury begins hearing testimony.
LAPD arrests D4vd at a residence on Marmont Avenue in the Hollywood Hills at approximately 4:30 p.m. He is held without bail. The case is to be presented to the District Attorney on Monday, April 20.
His defence team's response
D4vd is represented by high-profile criminal defence attorney Blair Berk, known for handling major celebrity cases. Following his arrest, his legal team released a firm statement.
What happens next
The LAPD will formally present its case to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office on Monday, April 20, for filing consideration. Investigators have stated they can prove Celeste's death was a homicide, though details about the cause of death remain under a security hold requested by police.
No formal indictment has been returned, and no criminal complaint has been filed as of this writing. D4vd remains in custody without bail pending his first court appearance.
Note: D4vd has been arrested on suspicion of murder, not convicted. He is legally presumed innocent until proven guilty. His legal team maintains his innocence and says the full evidence will exonerate him.
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