Police have arrested 21-year-old singer D4vd in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl whose body was discovered in his vehicle seven months ago.
David Anthony Burke, who performs under the stage name D4vd, was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday, People reported.
The arrest took place in the Hollywood Hills on a probable cause warrant, months after the remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found in the trunk of Burke's impounded Tesla on Sept. 8.
The discovery occurred one day after the teenager would have celebrated her 15th birthday.
Burke is being held without bail as the legal process moves toward the possible filing of charges.
An LAPD source told People that the singer has not been "cooperative in the investigation" since his arrest.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said in a statement that the case is expected to be presented to the Major Crimes Division on Monday.
Prosecutors will then review the evidence to determine whether there is a sufficient basis to file charges.
The victim's father, Jesus Rivas, broke the family's silence following news of the arrest.
In a statement provided to TMZ through family attorney Patrick Steinfeld, he said, "Thank God ... justice for Celeste."
Steinfeld told TMZ that the family intends to be a visible presence in the courtroom. They plan to exercise their rights under California's Victims' Bill of Rights, commonly known as Marsy's Law, including attending Burke's arraignment and any subsequent press conferences to speak directly to the media.
Burke's defense team, consisting of attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, issued a statement to People asserting their client's innocence.
"Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death," the lawyers stated.
They emphasized that no criminal complaint has been filed and no grand jury has returned an indictment, noting that "David has only been detained under suspicion."
The investigation has been ongoing since late 2025.
A police source previously told People that Burke was identified as a suspect in November, and by February he was named as the target of a grand jury probe.
Prosecutors at the time alleged Burke "may be involved in the death" and that Hernandez "may have been a victim of foul play."
The L.A. medical examiner also confirmed to the outlet that Hernandez had a "Shhh" tattoo on her right index finger, which matches a tattoo known to be on Burke's hand.
While this has sparked online speculation, investigators have not confirmed a personal connection between the two. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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