Investigators are said to be exploring the possibility that Celeste Rivas’ body was “frozen” before being moved to a Tesla registered to D4vd.
Warning: this article contains distressing content
The body of 15-year-old Rivas was found severely decomposed in the front boot of a Tesla registered to the singer (real name David Anthony Burke) back in September. She was first reported missing when she was 13-years-old in April 2024, and the Tesla was found after it had been moved to an impound lot in Los Angeles.
A source close to the ongoing investigation has now told Rolling Stone that the medical examiner has reason to believe the remains were “refrigerated” somehow before being wrapped in a black bag in the vehicle’s boot.
The source also told the publication that investigators are “exploring” the theory that the remains were either frozen or refrigerated before the transfer, and said they’ve called in outside experts to offer expertise before a final autopsy is released.
As noted by Rolling Stone, it wasn’t immediately clear how freezing or refrigeration might affect a final ruling, and it could make pinpointing a date of death far more difficult.
TMZ initially reported the latest development in the criminal investigation, and, citing sources connected to the probe, said Rivas’ body had been “partially frozen” and had been thawing out while stowed in the vehicle.
Rivas’ body was discovered after reports were made about a strong stench coming from the impounded Tesla, and a medical examiner previously stated that her body appeared “to have been deceased inside the vehicle for an extended period of time before being found”.
According to TMZ, Rivas’ head was severed and her limbs were “cut into multiple pieces”.
Earlier this month, Rivas’ exact cause of death was listed as “deferred”, while the LAPD’s robbery-homicide division continued to investigate the case. A statement later shared by police to NBC4 Investigates pointed to the likelihood that Rivas died in the spring, and D4vd is reportedly being considered as a suspect. NME has reached out to D4vd’s management team for comment, but he is yet to comment on the latest developments.
It was revealed that Burke had been given a parking ticket in the Hollywood Hills just under two weeks before the body was found, and residents in the area alleged that the Tesla under his name had been left in their neighbourhood for over a month.
Initially, it was reported that Burke had been informed of the investigation and was “cooperating” with the authorities, although this appears to clash with more recent coverage pointing to his lack of co-operation.
In the wake of the investigation, the ‘Romantic Homicide’ singer cancelled his US tour and shelved plans to release a deluxe edition of his debut album ‘Withered’. His headline tour dates in Europe and the UK have since been cancelled too.
Earlier this month, his manager, Josh Marshall, spoke out for the first time about the investigation and denied accusations made by someone on TikTok that he was involved in the case.