Singer D4vd arrested on suspicion of murdering 14-year-old girl

American singer D4vd was arrested on suspicion of murdering a teenage girl who went missing last year, police said on Thursday (Apr 16).

The 21-year-old artist, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is being held without bail, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The case is expected to be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday.

According to overseas media reports, police said Burke was the subject of a grand jury investigation into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found in a Tesla registered to the singer in September.

His lawyers denied the allegations, saying there was no evidence linking him to the girl’s death and that no indictment had been issued. They said he had been detained on suspicion only and had been cooperating with authorities.

Investigators said the teenager’s decomposed remains were found in a vehicle at a Hollywood tow yard after reports of a foul odor. Officials said she may have been dead for several weeks before her body was discovered.

The cause of death has not been determined, and authorities have said they are treating the case as a death investigation.

Hernandez had been reported missing by her family in April 2024. Officials said she had previously run away from home.

Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive or confirmed the circumstances surrounding her death.

D4vd, best known for tracks such as Here With Me and Romantic Homicide, rose to fame through social media and later released his debut album in 2025.

He has since been dropped from several commercial campaigns and cancelled his tour following the emergence of the investigation.

Police said further details will be submitted to prosecutors next week.