LAPD Captain Refutes Claims About Condition of Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s Body in d4vd Tesla Case

Celeste Rivas Hernandez was 14 when she died and was later found in the trunk of a Tesla belonging to musician d4vd in September. Now, a Los Angeles Police Department captain is pushing back on widespread rumors about the state of her remains.

LAPD Captain Scot Williams, the commanding officer of the Robbery-Homicide Division, says that contrary to speculation, Rivas Hernandez’s body was neither frozen nor decapitated, despite earlier reports from local outlets suggesting otherwise.

“Celeste’s body was not frozen,” Williams says. “She was not decapitated. The whole frozen thing doesn’t even make sense. Her body was in the car for weeks.”

He continues, “Even if she had been frozen solid when she was put in the car — which there is no evidence to suggest she was — five or more weeks in the trunk of a car in sweltering heat in the middle of summer would not have resulted in a partially frozen body being discovered on September 8th.”

Rivas Hernandez was first reported missing from her Lake Elsinore, Calif., home on April 5, 2024, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office told the Los Angeles Times.

Her body was found on Sept. 8 in an impounded Tesla in the Hollywood Hills — one day after what would have been her 15th birthday — while d4vd (born David Anthony Burke) was on tour.

The singer was identified as a suspect in her death last week, according to a police source at the time. That source also said the musician had allegedly “not been cooperative” with investigators, though no criminal charges have been filed. A representative for the singer previously told NBC Los Angeles that he was “fully cooperating” with authorities.

In September, LAPD investigators served a search warrant in connection with Rivas Hernandez’s death at a Hollywood Hills home where the singer had been staying, according to law enforcement sources.

The teen’s cause and manner of death remain undetermined.

On Monday, Nov. 24, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner announced that a court order, initiated by the LAPD, had placed a security hold on Rivas Hernandez’s case.

“No records or details associated with the case, including the cause and manner of death and Medical Examiner report, can be released or posted on the website until further notice,” the medical examiner said in a statement. “The Department understands the public’s interest in this case and remains committed to transparency when possible. Information will be made available once the court order is lifted.”