The Mysterious Case of D4vd: A Death Investigation Unfolds
In the affluent neighborhoods of the Hollywood Hills, what began as a routine investigation into an abandoned rental property has evolved into something far more disturbing. Private detective Steve Fisher, hired by property owner Mladen Trifunovic, has been meticulously examining the former residence of rapper D4vd (born David Anthony Burke) after the shocking discovery of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body in the trunk of the musician’s abandoned Tesla. The Queens-born musician had been renting the luxurious mansion for $20,000 per month before abruptly vacating the property, leaving behind what investigators describe as troubling evidence.
During his three-week investigation, Fisher claims to have uncovered items that seem jarringly out of place in a Hollywood Hills mansion. “There were some items at the house that were still in their original manufacturing packaging that had been delivered that have no use in a home in the Hollywood Hills,” Fisher explained. “These are items that belong more on a farm than in a home. It would make no sense to even own these things.” While deliberately withholding specifics to avoid compromising the ongoing LAPD investigation, Fisher suggested these implements “could be used to get rid of a body.” This discovery adds a chilling dimension to what is already a deeply troubling case, raising questions about premeditation and the circumstances surrounding Hernandez’s death.
The investigation has also revealed a suspicious timeline regarding D4vd’s black Tesla—the vehicle where Hernandez’s remains were ultimately discovered. According to Fisher’s findings, which draw on parking citations, license plate reader data, and security footage from the home and surrounding neighborhood, the rapper regularly used this Tesla until February 2025. After receiving its 45th parking citation on February 27, the vehicle mysteriously disappeared from regular use. Security footage captured the SUV being moved from its usual spot in front of D4vd’s home on July 29 and relocated just blocks away, where it remained stationary until a neighbor filed a complaint on August 29. “I do believe that when the car was moved on July 29 that [Hernandez] was in the front trunk of the Tesla at that time and probably had been for quite a while at that point,” Fisher theorized. “It appears to me that there’s a chance [Hernandez] could’ve been in that car a very long time.”
The timeline becomes even more suspicious when examining D4vd’s vehicle acquisitions. Fisher discovered that just as the black Tesla fell out of use, D4vd leased a new red 2025 Model Y Tesla, with the lease beginning on February 1. This coincidental timing has raised questions about whether the rapper deliberately abandoned his previous vehicle. The black Tesla was eventually towed to an impound lot on September 5, and Hernandez’s body was discovered three days later by authorities. According to reports from the LAPD, her remains were in a “severe” state of decomposition, so advanced that the Los Angeles medical examiner’s office has been unable to determine a cause of death. The grisly condition of the body suggests she may have been deceased for an extended period, potentially months, before discovery.
The circumstances surrounding Hernandez’s presence in D4vd’s life remain unclear. No public information has emerged explaining how a 15-year-old girl became connected to the “Romantic Homicide” singer or what relationship, if any, existed between them. This information gap has only intensified speculation and concern about the case. Meanwhile, D4vd’s response to the discovery has been telling. The rapper has completely withdrawn from public life, canceling his scheduled world tour and hiring high-powered attorney Blair Berk, whose previous clients include controversial figures like Harvey Weinstein. Both Berk and the Los Angeles Police Department have declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, maintaining a silence that only fuels further questions.
As investigators continue to piece together the tragic fate of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the abandoned mansion in the Hollywood Hills stands as a silent witness to whatever transpired within its walls. The contrast between the glamorous facade of D4vd’s music career and the horrific discovery in his abandoned vehicle couldn’t be more stark. Fisher’s investigation has uncovered disturbing possibilities, but many questions remain unanswered: How did Hernandez die? What was her connection to D4vd? And perhaps most disturbingly—did someone attempt to conceal her death using farm implements unsuited for city living? As authorities continue their work, a family mourns the loss of a young life, and the public waits for answers that might make sense of a senseless tragedy. “Something very bizarre happened,” Fisher concludes—a profound understatement in a case that continues to unfold with each passing day.
