Arrest of Singer D4vd
US singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has been arrested in connection with the death of a teenage girl who went missing last year, according to police reports.
The TikTok star was the subject of a grand jury investigation regarding the apparent murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Her remains were discovered in his Tesla vehicle in September.
The Los Angeles Police Department announced on Thursday that the 21-year-old artist was being held without bail. The case is scheduled to be presented to the District Attorney's office on Monday.
The singer has remained largely silent about the case, although his representatives previously stated that he was cooperating with authorities. The BBC has reached out to his representatives for comment on the arrest.
On Thursday, police confirmed that Burke had been arrested for the "murder of Celeste Rivas."
Discovery of the Victim's Remains
Questions intensified following the discovery on 8 September of the 14-year-old girl's remains in a Hollywood tow yard. Authorities had received reports of a foul odour emanating from the vehicle.
Investigators found the decomposed head and torso of Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside a cadaver bag located in the front boot of a Tesla registered to D4vd's Texas address, according to court documents.
The county medical examiner described the body as "severely decomposed" and deferred ruling on the cause of death pending further investigation. Officials indicated the girl may have been deceased for "several weeks" prior to the discovery.
No official cause of death has been announced. Authorities have been treating the matter as a death investigation for several months.
In November, a judge ordered that the teen's death records be sealed to ensure that law enforcement received information from the medical examiner before it was released to the public.
Public Reaction and Investigation Developments
The scarcity of information surrounding the grim death has sparked public intrigue and an online following, with many speculating about the connection between the girl and the Romantic Homicide singer.
A grand jury began reviewing evidence in December, but D4vd's arrest on Thursday represents the first major development in the case in several months.
Additional details emerged through court filings after the singer's family was summoned from Texas by a California court to testify before the grand jury.
When Dawud Burke, D4vd's father, contested the summons in a Texas court, he included material from the California case that had not previously been public.
The filings, obtained by the BBC, confirmed that D4vd had been identified as a "target" of the grand jury investigation in Los Angeles and that he may face proceedings for one count of murder.
Details About the Victim
Prior public details included that Rivas Hernandez was wearing a tube top, small black leggings, and jewellery including a yellow metal stud earring and a yellow metal chain bracelet at the time her body was found.
She also had a tattoo on her index finger that read "Shhh…" — a marking nearly identical to one on the singer's own index finger.
Impact on D4vd's Career
Shortly after the discovery of the body, the singer known for the song "Here With Me" cancelled his world tour, marking the beginning of his withdrawal from the public eye and a decline in his pop career.
Los Angeles police previously reported raiding the Hollywood Hills mansion where he resided, located just blocks from where his Tesla had been towed.
Following the incident, D4vd was dropped from marketing campaigns with US retailer Hollister and footwear company Crocs.
Additionally, singer Kali Uchis, known for "Telepatía," announced she was removing their collaboration titled "Crashing."
