Celeste Rivas’ body was discovered in a Tesla belonging to rapper D4vd on September 8, more than a year after she went missing, with sources claiming the body was decapitated and partially frozen
The body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas was found “partially frozen” in a car registered to rapper D4vd, according to sources close to the investigation. The teenager, who had been missing for over a year, was discovered dismembered in the boot of a Tesla belonging to the singer on September 8.
The horrific discovery was made in the Hollywood Hills area of California when the abandoned car, left for about a month, was impounded. Earlier this week, it was reported that D4vd is now considered a suspect, but he is allegedly not cooperating with investigators.
Now, insiders have suggested that due to the condition of Celeste’s body at the time of discovery, establishing a cause of death may prove difficult. Sources speaking to TMZ claimed that the medical examiner received the body decapitated. While the torso was intact, the limbs had been removed and cut into multiple pieces.
It was reported that all body parts were “partially frozen” and had been thawing out while in the singer’s Tesla, reports the Daily Record.
It was also suggested by sources that following the discovery, investigators were unsure whether the body belonged to a male or a female. Initially, detectives described the teen as a victim of an ” apparent homicide “, but the medical examiner is now reportedly struggling to determine a cause or manner of death.
“It will most likely be ‘undetermined,'” insiders have suggested. Despite this, the LAPD’s Robbery Homicide Division is treating the teenager’s death as a homicide, which allows them to proceed with an arrest.
Earlier in the week, a police insider informed People that D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is “not cooperating” with investigators and has been uncooperative from the start. The insider revealed that the police have not yet interviewed the singer and there remains uncertainty over the alleged crimes he and his accomplices may have committed.
“We are working to determine if her death was a murder or something else,” the source stated, adding, “Springtime is the closest we’ve come to determining the time of her death. Not before then.”
D4vd’s representative previously told NBC Los Angeles that his client was “fully cooperating” with authorities.
After Celeste’s body was discovered, D4vd cancelled the remaining dates on his tour, and a spokesperson confirmed he was liaising with law enforcement. “D4vd has been informed about what’s happened. And, although he is still out on tour, he is fully cooperating with the authorities,” a spokesperson for the singer said.
The LAPD shared with The Mirror US in a statement: “On September 17, 2025, detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division served a search warrant on the 1300 block of Doheny Place in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Several items of evidence were recovered and will be analysed by detectives in the coming days.
“This is an ongoing investigation. Investigators are following up on several leads. Once additional information is available to share with the public, it will be released by the Media Relations Division.”