True Crime with Kendall Rae

Teen Girl Found in D4VD’s Tesla: Breaking Down the Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case So Far…

Date: October 23, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae

Overview

In this intensely detailed episode, Kendall Rae examines the disturbing and fast-moving case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez—a 14-year-old girl whose decomposed body was found in the front trunk (“frunk”) of a Tesla belonging to singer David Burke (stage name D4VD). The episode aims to sort through rampant internet speculation, misinformation, and confirmed facts, bringing the focus back to Celeste as the victim—rather than the sensationalism surrounding D4VD. Kendall approaches with her characteristic empathy, acknowledging both the gaps in public information and the huge impact of internet sleuthing on the case so far.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Episode Structure and Caveats

• Kendall divides the episode into “confirmed facts” and “unconfirmed speculation/theories,” highlighting explicitly which is which.
• She emphasizes the limitations of current information, her recording date (Oct 10, 2025), and the fact that new developments may have emerged by air date.
• Reinforces the principle: everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

1. Who Was Celeste Rivas Hernandez?

[07:15]

• Celeste: 14, from Lake Elsinore, CA; attended Lakeland Village Middle School; had a brother and sister.
• Described as: studious, hard-working, intelligent, incredibly sweet.
• Experience of going missing:
  • Reported missing three times in early 2024 (Valentine’s Day, March 19, April 5), always as a runaway.
  • Last confirmed sighting by family in June 2024 at a reported family gathering (video evidence).
  • Another NEST camera video from Sept 2024 showed Celeste arguing outside a neighbor’s home.

“Celeste was a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a friend… she was only 14 years old.”
— Kendall Rae [13:14]

2. Timeline & Discovery of Celeste’s Body

[05:30–12:00]

• Events:

  • Aug 26, 2025: Tesla abandoned on Bluebird Ave, Hollywood Hills.
  • Sep 5: Vehicle towed after multiple citations; covered in dust, not moved in weeks.
  • Sep 8: Impound lot employee reported foul odor; LAPD found Celeste’s decomposed body wrapped in plastic in the Tesla's front trunk.
  • Sept 17: Authorities publicly identify the remains as Celeste.

• Condition of body:

  • Severely decomposed; initial reports suggested dismemberment, but this is unconfirmed—may be severe decomposition instead.
  • Remains were so decomposed that age, eye color, and ethnicity were not immediately determinable.

"According to a statement made by the medical examiner, the decedent was found severely decomposed inside a vehicle… appears to have been deceased inside... for an extended period."
— Kendall Rae [10:23]

• Clothing: tube top, black leggings, yellow metal chain bracelet, stud earrings.

3. Where Was D4VD (David Burke) and What Was His Connection?

[23:30–32:00]

• D4VD (David Anthony Burke): Young, Gen-Z musician; rose to TikTok/streaming fame in his teens; signed to Interscope in 2022.

  • Toured with acts like SZA, performed at Coachella 2025.
  • Abandoned Tesla belonged to him.
  • Was reportedly on tour at the time of body discovery, but gaps in tour schedule exist (see more below).

• Law enforcement: He is cooperating and has hired high-profile attorney Blair Burke; as of this episode, has not been named a suspect or person of interest.

• Timeline context:

  • Car was never reported stolen, suggesting someone in his circle (if not him) likely had access [34:20].
  • Tour schedule had gaps—could realistically have returned to LA around the time Celeste is believed to have died [64:40–67:07].

4. Internet Sleuthing, Online Evidence, and Theories

[38:01–99:00]

• Social Media Sleuthing:
  • The internet community has uncovered alleged connections between David and Celeste dating back to 2022, including TikTok clips, Discord chats, Reddit threads, photos, and even an alleged matching tattoo on their fingers (“shhh”).
  • Fake IDs: Celeste allegedly used them to appear older and attended 18+ events with David.
  • Numerous photos and videos show David with a young girl (often face covered), appearance consistent with Celeste’s hair/style.

"If all of these connections are true, it means they can be linked back as far as 2022. And actually some people speculate … as far back as 2021 on Fortnite when she was just 11 years old."
— Kendall Rae [43:18]

• Circumstantial “proof” of romantic involvement:
  • Classmates and friends say Celeste claimed a relationship with D4VD, showed pictures.
  • Leaked DMs (allegedly sibling Matthew’s) indicate knowledge of the relationship, possible reporting to police but “waved off due to lack of evidence.” [50:00]
  • Other DMs between Celeste and friends suggest sexual involvement and manipulation.

"Yeah, she was always saying that he was waiting till she was 18 to get married and stuff like that."
— Alleged DM from Matthew [50:00]

• Tattoo Evidence: Both had the “shhh” tattoo in red ink on the right index finger, popularized by Rihanna—and possibly symbolic for them.

• Family Response & Critique

  • Criticism online over why family allowed Celeste to have an older boyfriend, or didn’t act sooner. Her mother says she knew of a “David,” but never met him.
  • Evidence shows her family did actively search (flyers, questioning store owners, etc.), and police visited the home 11 times in 2024–2025. [56:49]

5. Digital Forensic Evidence: The Tesla as a Crime Scene

[34:20–38:01]

• Teslas retain vast amounts of data (locations, door/trunk openings, recordings if Sentry Mode was enabled).
• Digital expert Jason Lewis explains data from Tesla or Tesla servers could yield key timelines and suspect info.

"If sentry mode was actually activated... you'd have clips of people opening the door, a clip of someone opening the trunk..."
— Jason Lewis, Digital Forensic Expert [36:16]

6. Speculation About Others’ Involvement

[38:01–43:00]

• Accusations (so far denied) that David’s manager Josh Marshall either hid knowledge of Celeste’s “relationship” or helped cover up. He strongly repudiates allegations; the veracity of certain emails is unproven.
• Steve Fisher, PI, claims an adult warned Josh via email about Celeste possibly being with D4VD—this led to internet speculation about managers/entourage being involved.

7. Internet Rumor Mill & Music/Lyrics Analysis

[71:46–85:00]

• Massive speculation focuses on D4VD’s music—especially tracks referencing murder, obsession, running away, and a “Celeste” (ex: “Romantic Homicide,” “Celeste_demo”).
• Fans analyze lyrics for “confessions,” point to artistic themes of murder, dismemberment, and codependency, both in lyrics and music videos.
• D4VD’s “Itami” alter ego—introduced in music videos—commits violence/murder, adding to speculation about confessions or obsessions in his art.

"People believe he was singing about his dark fantasies of killing a girl…
…it’s just impossible to deny there’s a pattern here."
— Kendall Rae [76:43, 81:46]

• Discord and Reddit: Posts from before Celeste was identified, claiming David was dating a minor “C”, paying others for silence, losing contact with her in August, etc.

8. Unanswered Questions, Delays, and Law Enforcement Progress

• Still unknown: Full cause or manner of death; whether homicide or accidental death (toxicology pending). Official LAPD stance: “death investigation.” [22:05]
• Rumors of pregnancy ruled out by death certificate.
• Sept 17: LAPD searches David’s home—removes electronics, uses luminol, checks drains for blood. [33:14]
• Neighborhood is full of security cameras—potentially more evidence to collect.
• David has not been arrested or named as suspect/person of interest as of the episode’s recording; his silence and transfer of property deeds to his mother have fueled further speculation.

9. Cultural Impact & Response

• D4VD’s career imploding: Loss of endorsements (Crocs, Hollister, Fortnite), music removed from streaming, dropped by label, celebrities distancing themselves.
• Despite this, his music streams and downloads soar due to morbid curiosity (which Kendall Rae implores listeners not to indulge).

10. Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On the victim being overshadowed:

"What's so sad to me is that Celeste has really gotten lost in all the noise. I think that's obviously because David is famous."
— Kendall Rae [02:50]

• On rumors vs. reality:

"Dismembered and not intact are two very different things, and these things do matter… there are other reasons, like severe decomposition."
— Kendall Rae [11:52]

• On music and potential motive:

"I don’t care how long it takes, as long as I'm with you, I've got a smile on my face."
(Analyzing lyrics) — Kendall Rae [32:14]

• Ex-boyfriend remembers Celeste:

"We were at PE and she told me… she said it was because of her parents. She was happy joking about it… Next day she wasn't at school."
— Damien, ex-boyfriend [19:17]

• On music and reality blending:

"Like I said, I kind of felt like it was a prophetic thing… but then I actually experienced them, and it’s like, yo, I really said this about myself two years ago. Is it happening?"
— David Burke, interview [76:54]

• On the family’s struggle:

"I knew and I went to the police about it, but lack of evidence, so it was waved off."
— Alleged DM from Matthew, Celeste’s brother [50:00]

• On law enforcement’s stance:

"The Los Angeles County Medical examiner has not yet determined the cause or manner of Ms. Rivas Hernandez's death. It remains unclear whether there is any criminal culpability beyond the concealment of her body."
— News Release via Kendall Rae [22:05]

Important Timestamps

• Intro & Purpose: [03:36]
• Discovery of Celeste’s body/Timeline: [05:30–12:00]
• Details about Celeste’s life: [13:14–17:00]
• Ex-Boyfriend Interview: [18:14–21:10]
• Law Enforcement Press Release/Autopsy: [21:54–23:00]
• Who is D4VD?: [27:00–32:00]
• Tesla Data/Forensics: [34:20–38:00]
• Internet Sleuthing & Social Media Evidence: [38:00–53:00+]
• Family’s search for Celeste: [55:13–59:00]
• Online Rumors, Music/Lyrics, Discord: [70:00–99:00]
• Vigil for Celeste: [98:30]

Final Takeaways

• The case remains unsolved in crucial respects: cause of death, timeline, and any prosecutorial direction.
• While evidence strongly suggests an inappropriate and potentially criminal relationship between D4VD and Celeste, confirmation and accountability hinge on further forensic results and law enforcement action.
• Kendall Rae stresses the danger of conflating art with confession, the necessity of fact-checking, and the need to keep Celeste as the focus of any discussion or coverage.
• Broader reflections on the failures of the internet, family, and law enforcement to protect Celeste, and a warning about how online communities and digital platforms are being wielded by predators and magnifying risk for minors.

"All we want is for whoever was involved in her death to never, ever see the light of day again. And a lot of people believe that person is David. I do need to say, however, that he has not been named a person of interest or a suspect in this case. I need to be super clear there. And again, he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
— Kendall Rae [29:30]

In Celeste's Memory

The episode closes with a reminder of Celeste’s humanity: a vigil was held for her in September, and a small private funeral took place in October. Kendall Rae reiterates her commitment to following up as new details emerge and honors Celeste by making her the emotional anchor of the story.