'That Psychopath Lied': Ex-Pal Breaks Silence on D4vd After Body Discovered in Tesla Trunk

A former friend of singer has branded him a 'psychopath' and accused him of betrayal, as she publicly distances herself from the murder case unfolding in Los Angeles over the discovery of a woman's body in the front trunk of his Tesla.

The backlash around D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, has been building since September 2025, when the decomposed body of 21-year-old Celeste Rivas was found in an impounded Tesla registered to the rising alt-pop star. Prosecutors say he killed Rivas to protect his music career. Burke was arrested by the LAPD on 16 April on suspicion of murder and is being held without bail while he awaits a repeatedly delayed preliminary hearing.

Former Friend Slams 'Insane' Claims Over Celeste Rivas Case

The latest flare-up came on Thursday 18 June, when California-based model and influencer Aysia Collins went on Instagram to reject a claim that she had 'cosplayed' Rivas, the woman D4vd is accused of murdering.

Collins shared a screenshot of a chat with a friend, who had been sent a comment accusing her of deliberately styling herself to look like Rivas. Her reply, which she then posted publicly, read as a mix of fury and sheer fatigue.

'I'd appreciate it if everyone used their brains for 1 second when they talk about the Celeste Rivas case,' she wrote, criticising people who seemed to treat a killing like fandom drama. 'This isn't something light to just speak bullshit out of your mouth. I been quiet about it, but to say I cosplayed as a child just because we are the same skin tone and have curls is insane work. Have some respect.'

Collins has been dragged into the case before. Earlier this year, a Reddit account claiming to be hers said she was 'no longer friends with David' and was 'respecting the investigation as well as Celeste Rivas'. The same account described receiving violent threats and having personal details and workplace information shared without consent, a reminder of how fast a high-profile case can spill over into other people's lives.

On Instagram, Collins went further, publicly severing any remaining link with the singer. 'I been said we aren't friends anymore,' she wrote, before adding the line now bouncing around social feeds: 'That psychopath lied and betrayed everyone around him.'

IBTimes UK cannot independently verify the ownership of the Reddit account that previously claimed to speak for Collins, so take everything lightly.

How the D4vd Murder Case Reached This Point

The allegations against D4vd would be jolting in any context, but they land harder because his career was still climbing when he was arrested. Burke had broken through with moody lo-fi tracks and cross-genre collaborations that turned him into a go-to name for gaming soundtracks and young pop audiences.

According to Los Angeles prosecutors, that momentum may have become his motive. They allege Burke killed Rivas with 'special circumstances of lying in wait and financial gain', arguing he acted to protect his music career. If upheld, those special circumstances could expose him to far harsher penalties.

Rivas' decomposed body was found on 8 September 2025 in the front trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to Burke, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified her a week later. That was the moment the story lurched from niche Reddit threads into the mainstream, a grim, almost unreal case that fans and industry figures could not just scroll past.

The LAPD arrested Burke on 16 April and officials said he would be held without bail while detectives continued gathering evidence. His preliminary hearing, which will decide whether the case goes to trial, has already been delayed three times and is now set for 21 July. The original report did not include court documents outlining the police case, and did not mention any plea from Burke.

Industry and Inner Circle Turn Away From D4vd

The news came after a steady trickle of people in Burke's life, and in his industry, quietly stepping back once Rivas' body was found. Collins is far from the only former associate to make that distance explicit.

Several people in D4vd's circle have cut ties. One of the most visible is Neo Langston, a former friend and collaborator, who has joined the wider retreat from Burke's orbit since the case became public. Few have used language as sharp as Collins' 'psychopath' line, but the direction of travel is not exactly subtle.

On the business side, the unraveling has been just as stark. Major collaborators Kali Uchis and Laufey pulled their planned releases with Burke. His label partners, Interscope and Darkroom, ended their relationship with him, while platforms that once pushed his music heavily, including YouTube, Fortnite, EA Sports and Riot Games, moved to remove his content or restrict his access.

For a young artist whose songs had been woven into gaming, streaming and social media culture, that sudden silence is telling. The music industry does not usually move this fast to freeze someone out unless it senses both legal risk and reputational damage that cannot be papered over with a tidy statement.

As for Collins, she appears less bothered about industry fallout and more focused on drawing a line around her own life. Her post reads like someone who tried to stay quiet, then snapped when the internet went too far. The fact she had to spell out 'Have some respect' at all says a lot about what parts of the fanbase have been doing in her comments.

There is still a long legal road ahead, including the July hearing and, potentially, a full trial. Until a jury hears the evidence, Burke is legally presumed innocent, however lurid the headlines or furious the former friends. But the court of public opinion, and perhaps more importantly the smaller court of collaborators and confidants, looks to have made up its mind early.