Controversy surrounds the artist, known as D4VD, as the body of 15-year-old girl, Celeste Rivas, was found in a Tesla vehicle registered to his name, in Hollywood, Sept. 8.
Known professionally as D4VD, David Anthony Burke has garnered fame and popularity in the past five years of his musical career after releasing several hits, such as “Here With Me” and “Romantic Homicide,” that reached the U.S. top charts. On Spotify, he has gained more than 1.5 billion streams worldwide, a testament to his rise to fame. With this growth in popularity, Burke garnered even more attention after signing with Interscope Records. Since the signing, he has collaborated and worked with several well-known and adored artists such as the jazz-pop singer Laufey, alternative R&B singer SZA, pop singer Kali Uchis, Korean boy group Stray Kids and rapper 21 Savage. However, his fame could not overshadow the sinister nature of his past.
After locals noticed a foul odor originating from the tow yard Hollywood Tow, authorities inspected and found human remains inside of a bag. In the bag, the decomposing body parts of Rivas were found in a dismembered state in the trunk. Rivas had been missing for over a year, since Apr. 2024. The Los Angeles police officials noted that her death most likely occurred when she was 14.
Since then, the case has gone viral across social media platforms. Many individuals have flocked to TikTok and Instagram to express speculations about the potential connections Burke’s lyrics in songs such as “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me” may have with the ongoing investigation and murder of Rivas. Additionally, others have uncovered an alleged unreleased song titled “Celeste,” leading to further speculations among the public on whether or not the track is about the deceased Rivas or another former girlfriend of his with the name Celeste Herrera. Much like the alleged unreleased song, photos and livestream snippets of Burke being in close contact with and backstage with Rivas.
With every new discovery, more people have come forward with testimonies alleging Burke’s relationship with Rivas, which they became aware of in his server on the social media platform Discord.
Although more allegations and potential discoveries have incriminated Burke, he has not issued any formal statements and has allegedly been cooperating with the authorities in this investigation, cancelling his subsequent tour dates in light of recent events. Since then, authorities have stated that Burke is no longer a suspect in this case.
Although the media discoveries and testimonies are allegations only, Burke’s image has suffered greatly. His public image is tainted with inappropriate relations with a minor and suspected murder.
