How Did Celeste Rivas Die? D4vd's Friends Reveal How 14-Year-Old Victim Hid True Age Before Murder

D4vd's friends recount their interactions with Celeste Rivas before she was found in the trunk of a Tesla car, dead.

Celeste Rivas was assumed to be a legal adult because he hung out with D4vd at age-restricted events, according to D4vd's friends. Speaking to TMZ, they were also under the impression that the singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was in a consensual relationship with Celeste. They were later shocked to learn she was underage.

Some of D4vd's friends thought Celeste was 19 and a student at the University of Southern California. Law enforcement also confirmed she carried multiple fake IDs, according to the outlet.

Events Leading to D4vd's Arrest

LAPD sources told the outlet that D4vd's 'mysterious trip to a remote area in Santa Barbara last Spring' had something to do with Celeste's disappearance. Last December, a grand jury heard multiple witnesses acquainted with D4vd, including his manager, Robert Morgenroth, and his close friend, Neo Langston.

D4vd was arrested Thursday, seven months after Celeste's body was discovered. He is being detained without bail, his case to be presented to the District Attorney's office on Monday. A California court has already summoned his family to testify before the grand jury.

Lawyers Assert D4vd's Involvement in Celeste's Death

'Let us be clear - actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death,' his lawyers said in a statement. 'There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion.'

Court filings obtained by the BBC reveal that D4vd was identified as a target of an LA investigation, with a potential charge of one count of murder. His representatives affirmed his cooperation with authorities, according to the outlet.

Grim Details Surrounding Celeste's Death

Police found Celeste's remains in the trunk of D4vd's Tesla on 8 September 2025, a day after her 15th birthday. D4vd was in the middle of his world tour at the time, but he cancelled that and retreated from public view.

Celeste's cause of death hasn't been confirmed, but officials suspect that she might have been dead for several weeks because her body was 'severely decomposed.' A judge ordered her death records sealed in November, giving that prerogative to the medical examiner.

She wore a tube top, small black leggings, and jewellery when her body was found. One identifying mark was a tattoo on her finger reading 'Shhh...,' which is nearly identical to the one on D4vd's index finger.

Celeste lived at Lake Elsinore, approximately 120km (75 miles) from where her body was found. Her family confirmed she ran away from home multiple times, the last time on April 2024. Before police identified her as the body in the Tesla's trunk, her mom revealed she was dating someone named David, according to TMZ.

The comments from D4vd's friends shed new light on Celeste's alleged connection to D4vd. Her appearance and use of fake IDs in adult nightlife settings concealed her age, framing her presence in the singer's circle as normal and consensual, rather than as a minor involved in a high‑risk environment.