Singer-songwriter D4vd is facing backlash online, not just for his ongoing ties to a high-profile police murder investigation, but also for how he is handling any criticism concerning him. The 20-year-old artist, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has apparently taken control as the sole moderator of his own Reddit community, where fans allege he has been deleting every post that dares to mention the dead body found in his Tesla.
The controversy comes as the Los Angeles Police Department investigates the discovery of a dead body inside a Tesla registered to Burke, found earlier this month at a tow yard. The remains were identified as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas, a missing girl from Lake Elsinore, California. Authorities have classified the case as a homicide investigation, though police have not accused Burke of wrongdoing yet, and his representatives insist he is cooperating fully.
WHO IS D4VD?
d4vd is a 20-year-old American singer and songwriter. He began sharing his music on SoundCloud before officially releasing the single “Romantic Homicide” in July 2022, after snippets of the song went viral on TikTok. The track later reached No. 3 on the Hot Alternative Songs chart.
Since then, d4vd’s career has steadily risen: he opened for SZA on her S.O.S. Tour and performed at the Valentino Men’s SS24 Fashion Week show in Milan.
Earlier this year, he released his latest album, Withered, and was on a world tour to promote it when Hernandez’s body was discovered.
WHAT HAPPENED?
On September 8, police were called to a towing and impounding company in Los Angeles after reports of a foul odor coming from an impounded Tesla.
A body was found in the car’s front trunk. Multiple reports indicate the body had been “dismembered and wrapped in plastic” and that the victim had been deceased “for an extended period of time before being found.”
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed on September 16 that the body was Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who would have been 15 years old. Hernandez was 13 when she went missing in April 2024 from Lake Elsinore, southeast of Los Angeles.
Several local news outlets reported that the vehicle was registered to d4vd. Police told the Los Angeles Times that the car had been towed from the Bird Streets neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills, where it had been abandoned earlier this month.
d4vd has not been formally named as a suspect.
REDDIT MODERATION DEBACLE RAISES EYEBROWS
In the middle of these developments, fans noticed unusual activity on D4vd’s official Reddit subreddit, where quite a few posts that raised concerns about the case and his lyrics were removed. Since Burke is listed as the only moderator, users are accusing him of attempting to silence discussion and control the narrative surrounding the investigation.
This move has only fueled online debate, especially given the viral resurgence of his 2022 hit Romantic Homicide, which climbed the U.S. Spotify charts this week. Fans have dissected the song’s dark lyrics, some drawing connections to the ongoing case.
WHO IS THE VICTIM?
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the victim, would have been 15. She was reported missing from her Lake Elsinore home in April 2024.
The exact connection between Hernandez and d4vd is unclear. One TMZ report said a former teacher of Hernandez indicated she first met d4vd through social media.
On September 17, TMZ reported that Hernandez’s mother told their reporters her daughter had a boyfriend named David. She also noted that Hernandez had a “Shhh…” tattoo on the inside of her right index finger; TMZ said d4vd has a similar tattoo.
TMZ further reported that d4vd had recorded a song referencing someone named Celeste, including lyrics such as:
“Be my valentine / I wanna make you be suicidal / These are the kind of thoughts that cross my mind, just because”
“Oh, Celeste / The girl with my name tattooed on her chest / Smell her on my clothes like cigarettes / Hear her voice each time I take a breath / I’m obsessed.”
WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?
- Hernandez’s cause of death has not yet been determined. The Los Angeles Police Department has been searching the Hollywood Hills home where d4vd had been staying.
- d4vd is reportedly cooperating with authorities and has cancelled his world tour in response to the news.
- Brands that had collaborated with him, including Hollister and Crocs, have removed campaign content featuring d4vd while the investigation continues. Artist Kali Uchis has also stated she is in the process of removing “Crashing”, a song featuring d4vd, from streaming platforms.
- Social media users and tabloids have pointed to a tattoo Rivas reportedly had on her finger that matches one seen on Burke, but police have not confirmed any link.
- Hernandez’s family has launched a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.