THE TRAGEDY OF CELESTE RIVAS

The quiet hills above Hollywood were the last place anyone expected to discover the remains of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández.

- By Umasha Caldera

Celeste Rivas disappeared in April 2024. Her family, particularly her mother, spent months pleading for information. They described Celeste as bright and energetic, with dreams as large as her personality. She was known in her community for her artistic streak, her fascination with music, and her ambitions beyond the confines of her small Southern California town. For her mother, the wait ended in heartbreak on September 8, 2025. When the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed the remains found in the Tesla belonged to her daughter, grief turned to anger. She revealed that Celeste had spoken of a boyfriend named “David.” Now, with David Burke’s car tied to the discovery, her suspicions have found a chilling echo in the headlines.

The unraveling began when Los Angeles parking enforcement towed an abandoned Tesla from the Hollywood Hills. Stored in a municipal impound lot, the vehicle went unnoticed for several days before staff detected a foul odor. When investigators opened the trunk, they found human remains wrapped in plastic, badly decomposed but still identifiable by a tattoo the word “Shhh...” etched on the right index finger.

Celeste’s mother immediately recognized it. Her daughter had the same tattoo, a detail that left little room for doubt. David Anthony Burke is not a household name in the way that pop megastars are, but his alter ego d4vd has built a devoted following since 2022. Rising from online platforms with a string of hits blending indie, alternative, and R&B influences, Burke had become a symbol of Gen Z creativity, a musician crafting an identity from his bedroom before stepping onto global stages.