The story of how Celeste's body was found in the boot of a car sounds like fiction, except it’s not.

For over a year, Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been missing from her home in the Inland Empire, Southern California.

Missing person posters bearing her face had been distributed throughout the residential neighbourhood of Lake Elsinore where she lived with her family.

It was a constant reminder of the teenager's absence since she was first reported missing on Valentine's Day 2024. She was just 13 at the time.

According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, her family reported her missing three times in 2024.

The case met its conclusion on a September day in 2025, but not in the way anyone had hoped.

On September 8, there was an unmistakable stench that began wafting from one of the impounded vehicles in a Hollywood tow yard.

The source was a Tesla with Texas licence plates that had been abandoned in the Hollywood Hills just five days earlier. What they discovered inside quickly sent shockwaves through both the local community and the music industry.

Watch a segment about the D4vd investigation. Article continues after video.

In the boot of the luxury electric vehicle, wrapped within a bag, lay the severely decomposed remains of a young person.

Police say the body had clearly been there for an extended period of time, and the medical examiner soon confirmed what many had feared: it was the body of Celeste Rivas.

Her body was found the day after her 15th birthday.

The teenager was still wearing the tube top and small black leggings she had been wearing when she disappeared, along with an earring and yellow metal chain bracelet.

The abandoned Tesla was registered to David Anthony Burke, a 20-year-old rising star in the music world who performs under the name D4vd.

Until now, Burke has been on a meteoric rise to fame.

Raised in Houston, the young artist released his debut album, 'Withered', in April, and it quickly rose to No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart.

His music, which explores themes of death and remembrance, resonated with fans. In particular, his song 'Here With Me' became a trending song on TikTok.

At the opening night of his 'Withered' tour, D4vd's fans were greeted with an elaborate setup that included a casket being wheeled out of a hearse.

Inside, the casket sat near a wreath and guest book, where fans could write notes to a character D4vd created as an alter ego in his music videos and performances.

Police continue to investigate Celeste's death. Image: GoFundMe.

D4vd performed several shows after the body was initially discovered on September 8, but cancelled his show in Seattle after Celeste's identity was confirmed on September 17.

On September 20, he cancelled his upcoming European and UK tour dates.

Now, the fallout has reached Australia, with D4vd quietly dropped from a major Australian music festival's lineup.

Spilt Milk removed the artist from their website last week, before publicly confirming the decision on Thursday, citing the "unfolding story" overseas.

"Last week we removed d4vd from our website and marketing out of respect for the unfolding story," they wrote on social media.

"We can now confirm d4vd will not perform at Spilt Milk and we are working on a replacement booking which we'll announce as soon as it's finalised."

D4vd has also cancelled his upcoming Australian shows in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in December.

The singer has not been named as a suspect nor has he been arrested or charged over Celeste's disappearance or death.

D4vd is cooperating with authorities, but the questions surrounding how a missing teenager ended up dead in his abandoned car remain unanswered.

Image: Getty

On September 17, the investigation took a turn when detectives served a search warrant at Burke's upscale home on Doheny Drive in the Hollywood Hills.

ABC News reports the home, which D4vd does not own but had been staying at, is a short distance away from where the car was impounded and taken to the tow yard.

Law enforcement sources confirmed to US media that various items were seized during the search, including computers and electronics that may hold crucial evidence.

Investigators are now working to piece together Celeste's final days, examining online photos and attempting to establish any connection between the teenager and the musician.

One detail has particularly caught their attention: both Celeste and Burke appear to have matching tattoos reading "Shhh..." on their right index fingers.

Celeste's mother also told TMZ that her daughter had a boyfriend named David when she disappeared.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell addressed the case in an update on Wednesday, saying he couldn't share much about the ongoing investigation.

"We have a lot of resources dedicated to bringing it to a conclusion. But to go beyond what's already been made public would be inappropriate," McDonnell said.

As for speculations D4vd might've had a relationship with the teenager, McDonnell said: "Whenever you investigate a homicide, the detectives look at all of the associated issues as well. In this case, that's something that they would be looking at."

Celeste's cause of death is still being determined.

While LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division is leading the investigation, it has not yet been deemed a homicide investigation as authorities are working out how she died, sources told ABC News.

An autopsy will likely determine a cause, but it's unclear when that will be complete.

The LA County Medical Examiner on Tuesday confirmed Celeste's body has been released for memorial services. That could mean a cause of death may have been determined, but that information is yet to be released.

Community members gathered for a vigil in the teen's hometown on Sunday to remember her.

The revelation has sent ripples through the entertainment industry.

D4vd's representatives have remained silent in the face of mounting media requests, and the musician has cancelled recent tour dates. Major brands including Crocs and Hollister have swiftly distanced themselves from the artist, removing campaign content featuring him as the investigation continues.

The case remains active, with no persons of interest officially identified, leaving more questions than answers.

More to come.

Feature image: GoFundMe/Getty.