After months of speculation, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office announced on Wednesday that the girl found in D4vd’s car had died from “multiple penetrating wounds”. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office announced on Wednesday that they had ruled Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death as a homicide. They noted that the 14-year old died from injuries caused by a non-disclosed object or objects. She was found dead inside the front boot of the Tesla registered to TikTok Star D4vd (21), in September. The singer faces several charges, including murder, in relation to her death. David Anthony Burke, D4vd’s real name, has pleaded innocent. His attorneys have said they will “vigorously” defend his innocence. Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family provided this image. The defence team for the musician believes that the “actual evidence” will show David did not murder Celeste and was not responsible for her death. Blair Berk’s attorneys Marilyn Bednarski, Regina Peter and Regina Peter issued a statement in which they said that they would vigorously defend David’s innocence. Burke is scheduled to return to Los Angeles court Thursday at 830 local time (1630 BST). Investigators at the Medical Examiner’s Office had examined Rivas’s body shortly before she was discovered in September. They determined the cause and manner on 9 December, but were prohibited from releasing the information publicly while police investigated the case. The charging documents state that prosecutors allege that the teen’s body was dismembered and killed sometime around 5 May 2025. This is at least four months prior to her body being discovered. Chief Medical Examiner Odey Ukpo stated in a press release that she was grateful for the information being released to the public and to the grieving families. It is incomprehensible that they had to wait so long to find out what happened to their daughter, said Ukpo. He had previously criticised the decision not to release their findings. The report contains some new information about her remains. Forensic teams discovered shredded blue plastic within some of her wounds. The report states that her body had been found in a black zip-top bag in the trunk of the Tesla. A toxicology report found methamphetamine, or MDMA, and a low alcohol level in her system. However, it noted that neither seemed to have played a role in the death. They thanked the police and prosecutors, as well as the residents of Lake Elsinore, for their support over the past months. “Celeste loved to sing and dance. She was a beautiful girl with a strong personality. In a statement, her parents Jesus Rivas & Mercedes Martinez said that every Friday night was movie time and they spent wonderful times with her. “We love her very, and she told us she loved us all the time. We miss her deeply. We want justice for Celeste. “Family Attorney Patrick Steinfeld said in a BBC statement that the family had been “devastated” after hearing the gruesome facts that were revealed in David Burke’s trial. Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles’ District Attorney, said at a press conference that the teen had gone to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home on 23 April 2025. “She was never heard from ever again”. Hochman said that it is “a parent’s worst nightmare” when their daughter leaves for the night and never returns. Her parents reported her missing in April, but it was not until September that she was found dead. The singer of Here With Me and Romantic Homicide was arrested in Los Angeles by police last week after more than seven months. His world tour was canceled and he lost deals with brands. Getty ImagesLos Angeles Police Department chief Jim McDonnell defended the agency’s handling and why it took such a long time to make an arrest on Monday. “I want to make something clear. My duty isn’t to fuel speculation. It is to deliver justice and that requires patience, discipline and everyone’s help,” he said. “This investigation was driven solely by the desire to bring justice to Celeste Rivas, and those who loved her. We had to make sure that nothing we said or did would jeopardize this case. “He said that the conditions of the teen’s body delayed the determination of her cause of death, because “a substantial amount of time” passed between her death ad the discovery of her corpse. This caused evidence to degrade or disappear. Hochman also noted that there were issues in the case which delayed charges being filed. When asked by the BBC to explain those issues, Hochman cited the difficulty of interviewing multiple people – some of whom are “cooperative” while others are not – and looking at all the available evidence. “It’s the type of case that you went to get maximum information,” he said, asking anyone with any additional information to come forward.Singer D4vd confirmed as ‘target’ of investigation into murder of teenSinger D4vd arrested on suspicion of murdering teenage girlCultureLos AngelesUnited StatesCaliforniaMusic
