Second person now linked to death of teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez found in the Tesla of singer D4vd

22 November 2025

Investigators focused on the tragic death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez now believe a second individual may have been involved in the events surrounding her demise, a major development in a case that has gripped headlines and raised troubling questions about how such a secret could unfold. According to attorney Mark Geragos, speaking on a popular podcast, homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) used phone records and social-media data to place this unidentified person at a Hollywood Hills address near the time and place where Rivas Hernandez is believed to have died. The teen’s body was discovered inside a black Tesla registered to the singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, after a foul odor was reported at the vehicle’s location in early September.

The journey of this investigation has been marked by unanswered questions, persistent rumors and mounting scrutiny. Rivas Hernandez, from Lake Elsinore, California, was reported missing earlier in 2024 when she was just 13. Her remains were identified months later in the car, which had been abandoned in an upscale Los Angeles neighbourhood and impounded after parking-violations escalated. At the time of discovery the body was severely decomposed and the medical examiner concluded that she “appears to have been deceased inside the vehicle for an extended period of time before being found.”

Earlier reports had already named D4vd as a suspect in the investigation, citing law-enforcement sources and the tangled web of evidence surrounding the abandoned Tesla, alleged dismemberment and the youth’s vanishing act. Yet no charges have been filed to date and the singer has not publicly confirmed cooperation. The addition of a second person in the probe suggests the investigation is shifting from singular scrutiny to a broader context of involvement.

LAPD detectives’ analysis of phone-and-social-media metadata marks a key turn in the case. According to Geragos, the detective team “triangulated” posts and pings that placed the new person roughly in the same area where the Tesla was parked and abandoned. This indicates that the teen’s death may have involved more than just the initial discovery and raises questions about possible coordination or concealment. The fact that Rivas Hernandez’s body was located in the front trunk also known as the “frunk” of the vehicle only deepens the mystery of how this could occur undetected for such a long period.

For the teenage victim’s family the development may bring a bittersweet relief: a sense that justice may advance but also a stark reminder of the enormity of what has happened. Community members in Lake Elsinore remember Rivas Hernandez as a bright student, daughter and friend whose repeated missing-person reports in 2024 had already raised concerns. The lack of closure in her death has hung heavily over her circle of friends and family.

From a public-perception standpoint the case touches on urgent questions about celebrity accountability, missing-teen protocols and how large-city police coordinate high-profile investigations. The fact that the vehicle linked to a major pop-culture figure contained the remains of a teen for an extended time has sparked calls for transparent legal updates, changes in tow-lot monitoring and renewed scrutiny of how impounded vehicles are checked when parked in luxury neighbourhoods. Earlier reporting noted the vehicle received multiple parking citations one 11 days before the body was found.

At this stage investigators caution that no formal suspect list has been made public beyond D4vd and this newly revealed second person. The cause and manner of death remain undetermined, although sources indicate that dismemberment and concealment are being examined and that the body was deceased for weeks before discovery. This gap in timeline complicates the case and presents challenges for prosecution.

Legal-and-investigative observers say the evolution of this probe illustrates how social-media patterns and digital forensics are playing an increasing role in homicide investigations. Rather than relying solely on physical evidence, detectives now treat phones, geolocation data and online content as crucial clues. The addition of a second individual based on such data suggests that future developments may hinge on cell-phone logs and social-media trails rather than eyewitness testimony alone.

For now, the public wait continues. The family of Rivas Hernandez seeks answers. The LAPD maintains the investigation is active but has issued few details. The artist D4vd cancelled his tour following the discovery and retains high-profile legal representation, while no official statement has clarified his status with regard to charges. As the case turns toward potential additional suspects, the question remains: when will formal charges emerge and how many persons will authorities accuse?

The story of Celeste Rivas Hernandez is at once a missing-teen tragedy, a criminal investigation and a cautionary tale about how digital presence intersects with real-world accountability. With the second person now linked to the case, many hope the silence that followed the teen’s disappearance and death may finally be broken.