As homicide detectives continue probing the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was found in the trunk of a Tesla registered to singer d4vd earlier this month in Los Angeles, new questions are arising.
Days after the Sept. 8 discovery at an impound lot, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed the remains belonged to the 15-year-old girl. Her cause and manner of death are still under investigation.
Officers were called to the scene after a foul odor was reported coming from the vehicle, registered to the 20-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office told NBC News that Rivas had been reported missing in 2024 from Lake Elsinore, Calif. A GoFundMe campaign remembered her as a “beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend.”
According to a Los Angeles Times report, the sheriff’s office said Rivas had been reported missing at least three times that year. Residents noted she had run away from home before, though her last known whereabouts remain unclear.
The singer has not been named a suspect or charged with a crime, but a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson told PEOPLE on Sept. 18 that detectives served a search warrant at a local address connected to the girl’s death. Law enforcement sources told KABC-TV and the L.A. Times that this was where the singer had been staying.
The police spokesperson added that “several items of evidence were recovered” and that investigators are following up on “several leads.”
According to the L.A. Times, law enforcement sources said items seized from the rental home included electronics and computers.
A representative for the singer previously told NBC Los Angeles that he had been “informed about what’s happened” and is “fully cooperating with the authorities.” d4vd’s rep has not responded to multiple requests for comment from PEOPLE.
Investigators have not shared any information regarding whether d4vd and Rivas had a connection.
However, the medical examiner noted that Rivas had a tattoo reading “Shhh…” on her right index finger, according to the L.A. Times.
Meanwhile, a photo of d4vd from September 2024 shows him with a similar “Shhh” tattoo on his right index finger. Authorities have not commented on the apparent matching tattoos.
The singer has earned acclaim for hits like “Here with Me” and “Romantic Homicide,” and released his debut album Withered in April 2025. He was on tour at the time of the discovery and subsequently canceled his remaining U.S. tour dates, NBC News reported.
