Authorities are continuing their investigation into the death of a 15-year-old girl, whose remains were discovered last month inside a vehicle registered to a popular musician.
The body was found on September 8 in the front trunk of an impounded Tesla on a lot in Los Angeles. Police were alerted to the scene after reports of a foul odor coming from the vehicle. The car, a 2023 model, is registered to the recording artist known professionally as D4vd.
The deceased was later identified by the medical examiner as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a teenager who had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore earlier in the year. She was last heard from in late May.
Investigators stated that the vehicle had initially been abandoned in the Hollywood Hills before being towed to the impound lot where the discovery was made. A police captain involved in the case indicated it was likely the teen had been deceased for several weeks prior to the grim discovery.
“The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not determined a cause or manner of her death,” a senior police official stated, adding that the investigation into potential criminal culpability, beyond the concealment of the body, remains active.
Sources close to the investigation have suggested that individuals in the musician’s social circle believed the pair were romantically involved and were reportedly unaware she was a minor, as she was known to attend age-restricted events. The artist, who was on an international tour at the time, canceled his remaining North American dates following the discovery.
In a recent development, detectives executed a search warrant at a residence where the musician was staying, recovering several items for analysis. The artist has retained a high-profile criminal defense attorney and, through a representative, is said to be fully cooperating with authorities.
The teenager’s family held funeral services earlier this month. A fundraiser organized to support the family described her as a beloved daughter, sister, and friend, noting they are heartbroken by the tragic loss.
The investigation, being handled by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division, is ongoing.
