Warning: Distressing content
The 14-year-old girl found dead in US singer D4vd’s car died from “multiple penetrating injuries”, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office has revealed after a months-long wait for answers.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body was found dismembered in the front boot of an abandoned Tesla registered to 21-year-old D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, in September, 2025, just one day shy of Ms Hernandez’s 15th birthday.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner on Wednesday, US time, released its December finding that the teenager’s death was a homicide, caused by “multiple penetrating injuries with unspecified object(s)”.
The medical examiner’s office was prevented from releasing the report last year while police investigated the case.
“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,” medical examiner Dr Odey Ukpo said in a statement.
“It is unfathomable they have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter.”
Mr Burke was charged with first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with an individual under 14, and mutilating a body. His lawyer pleaded not guilty on his behalf during a brief appearance at a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday.
The judge ordered Mr Bruke to be held without bail. He remains in custody.
According to prosecutors, the murder charges included special circumstances that could carry the death penalty — lying in wait, committing a crime for financial gain, and murdering the witness in an investigation.
Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty.
Found inside Tesla
Ms Hernandez was last seen alive by her family in 2024, when she was just 13. Authorities say she was 14 when she died.
Her family had reported her missing from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, about 115 kilometres southeast of Los Angeles.
LA district attorney, Nathan Hochman, said during a press conference that Mr Burke engaged in a sexual relationship with the teenager.
He said Ms Hernandez went to Mr Burke’s home in late April 2025 and was subsequently never heard from again.
Her dismembered body was found inside two cadaver bags inside the singer’s Tesla, which had been towed from the upscale Hollywood Hills and impounded on September 8.
Investigators searching the Tesla in a tow yard in Los Angeles found one of the bags “covered with insects and a strong odour of decay”, according to court documents.
Investigators from the Los Angeles County removed the bag and found dismembered body parts inside.
A second black bag was found under the first, with further dismembered body parts inside.
According to the autopsy report, Ms Hernandez suffered significant wounds to her torso, and her arms and legs appeared to have been “dismembered into several fragments”, the Rolling Stones reports.
Two of her finders were also missing.
She had a tattoo on the inside of her index finger reading “Shhh”.
Videos show Mr Burke has a matching tattoo on one of his fingers.
The singer had been under investigation by an LA County grand jury looking into the death, but he was not named as a suspect until he was arrested on Thursday, US time.
The “secret” investigation was uncovered earlier this year when Mr Burke’s family objected in a Texas court to subpoenas demanding they testify.
‘All we want is justice’: Teen’s parents break silence
Ms Hernandez’s parents broke their silence on the case this week, remembering their daughter as a “beautiful, strong girl”.
“We would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office for their hard work. We would also like to thank the people of Lake Elsinore for all their support, her parents, Jesus and Mercedes, said in a statement on Tuesday, US time.
“Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night, and we spent wonderful times together,” it added.
“We love her very much, and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is Justice for Celeste.”
Mr Burke’s lawyers last week denied their client killed the teenager.
“Let us be clear, the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, and he was not the cause of her death,” a statement from lawyers Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter said.
“We will vigorously defend David’s innocence.”
D4vd, pronounced ‘David’, first gained popularity on TikTok after going viral in 2022 with his hit song ‘Romantic Homicide.’
When Ms Hernandez’s body was discovered, the singer continued his North American tour but quickly cancelled his European tour as reports of his possible involvement emerged.
He had not been seen publicly in months at the time of his arrest.
