Inside the Celeste Rivas Murder Probe: Where Things Stand With D4vd
Authorities say singer D4vd remains a suspect after 15-year-old Celeste Rivas’s remains were found in a vehicle registered to him, with NBC Los Angeles reporting he has not cooperated as investigators believe she likely died in the spring.
Here is where things stand in the death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez: police say singer D4vd is still a suspect, the timeline is grim, the online fallout is getting messy, and the investigation looks far from over.
Where the case stands
Authorities confirmed that D4vd remains a suspect after Celeste’s remains were found in a car registered to him. A law enforcement source told NBC Los Angeles that investigators believe she likely died in the spring and that D4vd most likely had help dismembering and disposing of the body. The same source also said the artist has not been cooperative, which clashes with earlier messaging from his camp. His spokesperson previously said he was fully cooperating with authorities, and his lawyers have not responded to the latest developments.
'He has not been cooperative.' — per a law enforcement source to NBC Los Angeles
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet ruled on cause or manner of death — both are still deferred — and police say they are examining every part of the case to get answers for Celeste’s family.
How and when she was found
Celeste’s remains were discovered on September 8 inside the trunk of a Tesla that had been parked for weeks and later impounded. Tow yard workers reported a strong smell; officers then found the remains wrapped in a plastic bag. Law enforcement sources said the remains were not intact. Investigators also noted she may have been deceased for several weeks before that discovery. She had been reported missing since April 2024. The timeline suggests a much longer window — at least weeks, possibly months — between when she died and when she was found. That was one day after her 15th birthday.
The car’s paper trail
- Aug 27: Tires on the Tesla were marked.
- Sept 3: The car was ticketed.
- Sept 5: The car was impounded.
- Sept 8: Tow yard employees reported the odor; Celeste’s remains were found in the trunk.
Search, seizures, and what police took
Within days of the discovery, detectives executed a search warrant at a high-priced rental home tied to D4vd near where the Tesla had been abandoned. Several items were seized for forensic analysis as investigators retrace the car’s movement and who had access to it.
Tour fallout and online backlash
As the probe intensified, D4vd’s U.S. tour effectively shut down. The Warfield in San Francisco labeled his show canceled, and Los Angeles’s Greek Theatre pulled the event details from its site altogether. He has not personally addressed the cancellations, while his spokesperson reiterated in September that he was cooperating with authorities, citing NBC News at the time.
Meanwhile, tempers flared online. Users accused D4vd of moderating and deleting critical posts from his own subreddit. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes drama that rarely helps when a criminal investigation is already in the spotlight.
Who Celeste was, and what people say happened before
Pieces of Celeste’s life have been surfacing as detectives interview people around her. Her former boyfriend, Damien Hernandez, told TMZ they dated in middle school. He said she wanted something serious, struggled with a troubled home life, and sometimes joked about running away. He later heard about an alleged relationship between Celeste and D4vd and said he was surprised because he thought she seemed happier away from home. He also expressed regret that he did not do more to help.
Celeste had a documented history of running away. She was reported missing in April 2024 and later found in Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles Times, then was reported missing again the following month. People close to her believe she used fake IDs to get into age-restricted places. Friends of D4vd reportedly assumed she was a USC student. One detail that stands out: Celeste and D4vd had matching 'Sshhhh' tattoos on their index fingers.
Where this could be going
There are still big unanswered questions — the medical examiner has not declared how or why Celeste died, and the timeline remains fuzzy. Officials have floated both 'several weeks' before discovery and a likely spring timeframe, which points to a broader window than anyone would want to hear. What is clear: investigators are treating the car, the home search, and the digital footprint as key pieces, and D4vd’s status as a suspect has not changed.