Singer D4vd has officially been deemed a suspect in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the teen girl who was found decomposing in the trunk of his impounded Tesla.
Now one major question looms: what does this shift actually signal for the case?
A police source tells People that investigators believe the 20-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, ‘most likely had help dismembering and disposing of the body.’Â
The source also alleges that while Burke has not been charged, he ‘has not been cooperative’ with the investigation.
This conflicts with what the musician’s representative previously told NBC Los Angeles, claiming he was ‘fully cooperating’ with authorities.
On September 8, Rivas was discovered dead inside the trunk of Burke’s car, one day after her 15th birthday, while the singer was on tour in the U.S.
As the LAPD now confirms that d4vd is being investigated as a suspect, the case has entered a critical new phase.
To understand the stakes and what this designation actually means, The Daily Mail spoke with Angelo Brown, Assistant Professor of Criminology at Arkansas State University, who says the shift from ‘person of interest’ to ‘suspect’ is far more serious than the public realizes.
D4vd has officially been deemed a suspect in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the teen found decomposing in the trunk of his impounded Tesla; seen in 2025
According to Dr. Brown, the label change marks a definitive turning point in the investigation.
‘When investigators shift their focus from person of interest to suspect, it marks a significant and important change. A person of interest has an unclear meaning and can often refer to someone linked to the crime, such as someone believed to be present or connected to it.’Â
In the early stages, investigators may have been focused simply on the fact that d4vd’s vehicle was used to hide the body, a detail that still required ruling out anyone with access to the car.
Dr. Brown notes that, given Burke’s fame and resources, it would have been irresponsible for investigators to immediately assume he was the one who used the Tesla.
‘In this case, they suspected David Anthony Burke (D4vd) by noting that his vehicle was used to hide the body, but if that’s all the evidence they have, they are not yet considering him a suspect, especially given his status as a celebrity with a large entourage who usually has multiple vehicles and doesn’t always drive himself.’
He explains that, in cases involving public figures, investigators must first eliminate the possibility that someone else with access used the vehicle – a process that typically involves phone data, surveillance footage, or timelines.
But in this case, the time gap between death and discovery complicates everything.
One widely discussed detail is the victim’s mother allegedly saying her daughter’s boyfriend was ‘David.’Â
Dr. Brown stresses why that alone doesn’t carry legal weight.
On September 8, Rivas was discovered dead inside the trunk of Burke’s car, one day after her 15th birthday, while the singer was on tour in the U.S.
‘At the moment there is lots of circumstantial and hearsay evidence, such as Rivas’ mother saying her daughter’s boyfriend was “David” (which hearsay is generally not accepted in criminal trials).’
He also believes it’s unlikely the singer personally moved or hid the body.
‘I think it is highly unlikely that D4vd would have himself physically put the body in the car and drove it and dropped it off as he is a public figure – it would be very risky for himself to do the transporting of the body.’
‘If D4vd actually was involved in the death and the transportation of the body, using your own vehicle to hide the body is the last thing you would want to do, so this tells me if it is the case, him and his team are very amateur and will likely have made many mistakes trying to cover it up.’
As the LAPD now confirms that d4vd (seen in March 2025) is being investigated as a suspect, the case has entered a critical new phase
To understand the stakes, The Daily Mail spoke with Angelo Brown (seen above), who says the shift from ‘person of interest’ to ‘suspect’ is far more serious than the public realizes
This leaves the investigation in a ‘gray area’ where police cannot rule him out, but also do not yet have enough to arrest.
‘This situation falls into a gray area: they lack sufficient evidence for probable cause to arrest or charge D4vd, but they also have no evidence to rule him out as a potential perpetrator.’
Despite the public label change, Dr. Brown emphasizes that being ‘a suspect’ does not mean Burke has been charged.
But it does suggest investigators have new information.
‘While becoming a suspect is very meaningful… it is likely they have found some more direct evidence tying the suspect to part of the crime, this could be some type of physical evidence or digital evidence… or a witness.’
Dr. Brown notes that, given Burke’s fame and resources, it would have been irresponsible for investigators to immediately assume he was the one who used the Tesla; seen in 2025
‘I think it is highly unlikely that D4vd would have himself physically put the body in the car and drove it and dropped it off as he is a public figure – it would be very risky for himself to do the transporting of the body,’ he said
He says investigators are now shifting from broad evidence gathering to constructing a timeline and narrative.
‘Through the investigation, they are narrowing down who to focus on and what happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez… this is now moving towards accusatory investigation as they are having a specific person and trying to connect the evidence they find to him.’
And he believes police now see Burke as more than just someone adjacent to the incident.
‘It is likely that D4vd is significantly more than just associated with the crime and is actually directly involved in the investigators’ thought process.’
That threshold, probable cause, is where investigators gain the power to request additional warrants.
‘This could give them more authority to obtain warrants for further searches… forensic testing can provide DNA or other biological evidence… emails, texts, GPS/location data may connect him to the death.’
Dr. Brown also points out that investigators are likely assembling their case carefully to avoid missteps
Dr. Brown suggests that Burke’s recent reported refusal to cooperate may also play into investigators’ strategy.
‘It is reported that he is no longer being cooperative… which does not mean he is guilty by any means but… if a young girl was murdered and that girl was a friend of yours you would want to help anyway possible to find who did this, unless you believe it will come back to you or someone you care about.’ Â
Announcing a suspect is not something LAPD takes lightly.
‘To publicly announce that they have a specific suspect is usually only done when they are highly confident that they have enough evidence to lead to a conviction.’
Such announcements can prevent public backlash, deter flight and encourage witnesses to come forward.
He also notes that decomposition complicates forensic analysis dramatically, particularly given Los Angeles’ heat.
‘Since a body that has been decomposing for a significant period of time consumes a lot of time and resources… the heat, like the hot and dry weather in Los Angeles during August and September, can accelerate decomposition.’
‘While D4vd is a millionaire, he likely has a strong defense team, so investigators must ensure every step is done by the book to prevent evidence from being inadmissible or thrown out’ (d4vd seen in April 2025)
This makes the investigation slower, more expensive, and more complex, especially with a wealthy, well-represented figure under scrutiny.
Dr. Brown also points out that investigators are likely assembling their case carefully to avoid missteps.
‘While D4vd is a millionaire, he likely has a strong defense team, so investigators must ensure every step is done by the book to prevent evidence from being inadmissible or thrown out.’
That includes proper warrants, proper handling of seized property, and strict adherence to constitutional protections – including Miranda rights once Burke officially becomes a suspect in custodial interrogation.
Ultimately, Dr. Brown warns that the public only sees a fraction of what police know.
‘Additionally, the police probably have a lot of evidence and facts they are not releasing publicly… Without knowing what they know, this assessment is based solely on the limited information made available.’
For now, the move from ‘person of interest’ to suspect signals that investigators are tightening their focus and that the case is rapidly entering a more serious and consequential phase.
The Daily Mail has reached out to d4vd’s attorney and representatives for comment, but have not heard back, at this time.Â
