Celeste Rivas Hernandez's cause of death was formally revealed in Los Angeles on Wednesday, 22 April, after county officials released autopsy findings that detail how the 14‑year‑old was killed months before her dismembered remains were discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd in September 2025.
For context, Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, before workers at a tow yard raised the alarm over a strong odour coming from a vehicle on 8 September 2025, one day after what would have been her 15th birthday. Prosecutors say the car belonged to 21‑year‑old music artist D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, whose work includes the tracks 'Here with Me' and 'Romantic Homicide'. He is now accused of killing the teenager, dismembering her body, and leaving her remains in the boot for months.
According to a press release shared with People and based on the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office autopsy, Celeste died from 'multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s).' Her manner of death has been ruled a homicide. The findings were reached on 9 December 2025 but kept under seal at the request of detectives while the murder investigation continued.
The autopsy report, also obtained by People, states that Celeste suffered 'two penetrating wounds in the torso' and 'bilateral dismemberment of upper and lower extremities and multiple additional skin defects.' Prosecutors have separately alleged in a criminal complaint that Burke used 'a deadly and dangerous weapon, a sharp instrument, to commit the crime,' although the exact object has not been publicly identified.
Autopsy Of Celeste Rivas Hernandez Unsealed After Months
The news came after months of legal efforts to keep key forensic details out of the public domain. The LAPD successfully requested that the teen's autopsy be sealed during the early stages of the case, arguing that disclosure could compromise the ongoing investigation into her killing and dismemberment.
A deputy medical examiner examined Celeste Rivas Hernandez at the department's Forensic Science Center on 10 September 2025, two days after her remains were found in the Tesla's boot. It was almost three months before the office finalised both the cause and the manner of death.
'After several months, I am grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss,' Chief Medical Examiner Dr Odey Ukpo said in the statement. 'It is unfathomable they have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter.'
Toxicology testing added a disturbing layer. The report notes that Celeste had alcohol in her system and tested 'presumptive positive' for benzodiazepines, methamphetamines, and MDMA in an initial drug screen. A second round of tests was less clear‑cut, finding that methamphetamine and designer opioids were 'inconclusive due to interfering substance(s),' while MDA and benzodiazepines were not detected. The document stresses that further analysis is needed to confirm the preliminary findings, meaning those toxicology results should still be treated with caution.
Prosecutors Outline Grim Timeline In D4vd Case
For starters, the allegations against Burke, set out by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and in court filings, paint a grim picture of what prosecutors say happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez over several months.
In a press release cited by People, Hochman says investigators believe Burke killed Celeste on 23 April 2025 at his Hollywood Hills home. Prosecutors then allege he dismembered her 'on or about 5 May 2025' and left her remains in the Tesla for roughly four months until the vehicle was towed and staff at the yard reported the smell.
The criminal complaint goes further back. It alleges that Burke repeatedly sexually abused Celeste 'on or between Sept. 7, 2023, and Sept. 7, 2024,' beginning on her 13th birthday. Hochman has previously said prosecutors believe Burke's alleged motive for the killing was to stop Celeste from exposing their illegal sexual relationship, which was already under investigation. He also claimed Celeste had threatened that night to reveal the alleged abuse and damage Burke's music career.
These claims have not yet been tested in court. Burke has been under scrutiny since at least November 2025, when he became the focus of a grand jury investigation, according to the statement.
Police and prosecutors say Celeste's dismembered remains were eventually found in two separate bags in the Tesla's boot. The car was registered to Burke, and he was reportedly touring North America at the time of the discovery, leading to the cancellation of his remaining dates and placing his debut album, Withered, released on 25 April 2025, under a stark new spotlight.
Charges, Possible Penalties And Defence Response
Burke was arrested on 16 April and charged with one count of murder, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and one count of unlawful mutilation of human remains. On 20 April, he appeared in court, pleaded not guilty to all charges and was ordered held without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday 23 April.
According to Hochman, the murder charge carries special circumstance allegations, including lying in wait, financial gain, and murdering a witness to an investigation. The district attorney's office also alleges that Burke used a sharp instrument in the killing. If he is convicted on all counts and those special circumstances are upheld, Burke could face either the death penalty or life in state prison without the possibility of parole. Hochman has said prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
Burke's legal team has pushed back strongly against the accusations. In a statement after his arrest, attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter said he 'was not the cause' of Celeste's death and promised to 'vigorously defend David's innocence.' No alternative account of how Celeste Rivas Hernandez died has been presented publicly by the defence, and their detailed arguments are likely to emerge as the case moves through the courts.
