- by Ashton Beauregard
- on 21 Nov, 2025
The decomposing body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered in the trunk of a Tesla parked at a Hollywood tow yard on September 18, 2025 — a grim find that has since unraveled a chilling chain of events tied to multiplatinum R&B artist D4vd (real name David Hernandez). The vehicle, a 2022 Model S with California plate 4FJK678, was registered to Hernandez, a 24-year-old born in Cypress, Texas. What began as a routine missing persons case in Lake Elsinore, California has now exploded into a high-profile homicide investigation led by the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division, with evidence pointing to dismemberment, concealment, and disturbing signs of premeditation.
The Last Seen and the Long Silence
Celeste was last confirmed alive on January 2, 2025, at 3:47 p.m. PST, captured on surveillance footage leaving Elsinore High School in Lake Elsinore. Her family reported her missing to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office at least three times in 2024 — each time, authorities reportedly treated it as a runaway case. No arrest warrants were issued. No Amber Alerts. Not until her remains were found, eight months later, did the investigation shift from neglect to murder.
The Tesla, the Mansion, and the Tools
Enter Steve Fischer, a private investigator hired by the owner of a $4.3 million mansion at 7825 Bluebird Avenue in Hollywood Hills. D4vd had been renting the 7,200-square-foot property through his manager at Interscope Records, headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Fischer’s team reviewed over 140 hours of neighborhood CCTV and digital timestamps. They found the Tesla appeared in the area starting in May 2025, parked repeatedly near the mansion. Its final known location: Bluebird Avenue, on July 29, 2025 — the same day D4vd left for his national tour.
Fischer didn’t just track the car. He entered the mansion under legal authorization and saw something that made him pause: "Sadistic tools," he told ABC7. "Not just knives. Serrated blades. Something designed to cut through bone. And they were left out, like they were used recently." Law enforcement sources confirmed to investigative journalists that trace evidence pulled from Celeste’s remains included "materials that did not belong to her" — fibers, metal fragments, and a unique type of adhesive linked to industrial-grade tools.
Timing, Transfer, and the Swatting Call
The timeline is damning. On September 17, 2025 — just one day before the body was identified — a fake swatting call was made to D4vd’s parents’ home in Houston-area. Authorities say a voice-altering device was used. Was it a distraction? A cry for help? Or a desperate attempt to deflect attention?
Two weeks after the body was found, on September 23, 2025, D4vd transferred ownership of his Cypress, Texas home to his mother. The timing? Too convenient to ignore. "It’s not illegal to transfer property," says former LAPD homicide detective Maria Lopez. "But when you’re under investigation and you move assets? That’s not a coincidence. That’s a pattern."
The Forensic Truth
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner ruled Celeste’s death a homicide. Cause: blunt force trauma followed by post-mortem dismemberment. The tools? "Serrated versus non-serrated," according to forensic pathologists — meaning at least two different cutting instruments were used, possibly to avoid leaving a single identifiable mark. The body was wrapped in plastic, sealed with industrial tape, and hidden in the trunk of a car that had been towed after being abandoned on a residential street.
"They went through all the trace evidence," one source told KTLA. "And everything pointed back to that house. That car. That man."
What Happens Next?
As of October 22, 2025, D4vd remains a suspect but has not been formally charged. He has not made a public statement. His legal team has not responded to requests for comment. The LAPD has confirmed they’re seeking an arrest warrant based on Fischer’s video evidence — which, according to KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell, shows the last person to drive the Tesla entering and exiting the mansion on July 29, 2025.
The case has reignited national conversations about missing teens of color and how law enforcement often dismisses disappearances until it’s too late. Celeste’s family, still grieving, now demands justice. "She wasn’t just a name on a missing poster," her aunt told reporters. "She was a dancer. She loved anime. She wrote poetry. And someone took her. And they thought no one would look."
Background: The Rise and Shadow of D4vd
D4vd, whose real name is David Hernandez, rose to fame in 2021 with the viral hit "I’m Not Your Boyfriend." Signed to Interscope Records, he quickly became a favorite among Gen Z audiences for his moody, synth-heavy R&B. He performed at Coachella in 2024, sold out arenas across North America, and was rumored to be working on a new album. But behind the stage lights, whispers had begun. Former crew members told reporters he was "intense," "private to the point of paranoia," and often isolated himself for weeks.
His Hollywood Hills rental was not his first luxury property. He owned a $2.1 million condo in downtown LA, sold in 2023. His social media, once active, went silent in late 2024 — a period that overlaps with Celeste’s disappearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why wasn’t Celeste Rivas Hernandez found sooner despite multiple missing reports?
Despite three separate missing persons reports filed with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in 2024, authorities classified Celeste as a runaway due to her age and lack of immediate signs of foul play. No warrants were issued, and her case received no priority until her remains were identified in September 2025. This reflects a broader pattern in which missing teens of color, particularly girls, are often deprioritized by law enforcement until evidence becomes undeniable.
What evidence links D4vd directly to the crime scene?
Private investigator Steve Fischer provided LAPD with surveillance footage showing D4vd driving the Tesla to and from the Hollywood Hills mansion on July 29, 2025 — the last day the car was seen before being towed. Forensic analysis of the vehicle’s interior revealed trace DNA and fibers matching Celeste’s clothing. Additionally, tools found in the mansion were consistent with the dismemberment wounds on her body. The vehicle’s GPS logs also show it was parked near her school in Lake Elsinore on January 1, 2025 — one day before she vanished.
Why was the Tesla towed, and how was the body discovered?
The Tesla was towed after being abandoned for over two weeks on a residential street in Hollywood Hills, violating local parking ordinances. The tow yard, located at 6444 W Sunset Boulevard, routinely inspects vehicles before storage. On September 18, 2025, a worker noticed a foul odor and opened the trunk, discovering human remains. DNA confirmation linked the body to Celeste Rivas Hernandez within 48 hours, triggering an immediate transfer of jurisdiction from Riverside County to LAPD.
What role did Interscope Records play in this case?
Interscope Records, headquartered in Santa Monica, rented the Hollywood Hills mansion to D4vd through its artist housing program. The label has not commented publicly, but internal emails obtained by investigators show D4vd requested the property for "privacy and security" and paid rent via offshore accounts. The company has since suspended his contract and is cooperating with law enforcement. Whether they knew of his activities remains under investigation.
Is there a possibility someone else is responsible?
While investigators haven’t ruled out accomplices, all physical evidence — including the vehicle’s GPS, the mansion’s security logs, and the forensic tools — points overwhelmingly to D4vd as the primary actor. No other individuals have been identified in surveillance footage or digital communications tied to the timeline. The swatting call may have been an attempt to divert attention, but it doesn’t alter the core evidence. Authorities are still reviewing his digital devices for potential co-conspirators.