The Celeste Rivas Murder Case: Singer D4VD on the Run as 13-Year-Old’s Body is Found in His Tesla, Victim’s Family Accused of Taking Hush Money

In recent days, a gruesome murder case has sent shockwaves across the United States, particularly through the media and music-loving public. At the center of this tragic story is David, a rising young artist, and Celeste Rivas, a 13-year-old girl who mysteriously disappeared and was later found dead in the trunk of David’s Tesla. The details of the case are not only shocking but also expose dark underbellies, from illicit relationships between adults and minors, the indifference of authorities, to horrifying allegations that the victim’s family was bribed to remain silent.

D4VD on the Run: The Hunt Begins

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” and when a body is found in someone’s car, that is some seriously thick smoke. The artist known as D4VD is currently on the run after authorities finally secured a warrant for his arrest. He and his manager abandoned the house they were living in and fled to an undisclosed location. Notably, this is the same house the police had just raided. Whatever they found there was clearly enough to send David into a panicked flight.

Initially, David was cooperating with the police in their investigation, but after the raid on his home, he cut off all communication and vanished. The situation has been exacerbated as more and more evidence against him has been unearthed online, with some people going as far as to email their findings to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The online community, which has been following the case from the very beginning, seems to have been solving it faster than the FBI and LAPD combined. There were even rumors that the body belonged to Celeste before authorities had a chance to make an official identification.

The Body in the Tesla Trunk: Gruesome Details Emerge

On September 8th, police officers discovered the remains of Celeste inside the trunk of David’s impounded Tesla. The car was located after reports of a foul odor at a Hollywood tow yard. Authorities have stated that both the cause and time of her death remain unknown. Celeste was 13 at the time of her disappearance and was last seen on April 5, 2024. The vehicle, which has a Texas license plate, was towed from the Hollywood Hills after being abandoned five days earlier.

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Celeste was 5’2″ tall, had wavy black hair, and was wearing a tube top and black leggings. She also had a tattoo on her right index finger that read “sh”—a detail that would later play a crucial role in the investigation. As it turns out, David also has that exact same tattoo. Initially, the public was unsure of the connection between the two, but once this piece of information was made public, it became chillingly clear that David was likely in a romantic relationship with Celeste, a young teenager.

This discovery was the tip of the iceberg, leading to a cascade of even more disturbing revelations. Celeste’s mother had previously told the police that her daughter was involved with a guy named David before she disappeared. A source close to the mother even blamed the police for not doing enough to protect Celeste, and made claims about an anonymous person calling Celeste’s mom to tell her to stop looking because Celeste was “already gone”—this was before the police had identified the decomposed body.

A Family’s Complicity? The $10,000 a Week Allegation

While the mother’s grief seems apparent, the narrative takes a sinister turn with accusations leveled against Celeste’s own family. Multiple people from Celeste’s school and neighborhood have come forward to accuse her mother and sister of selling her off to David. They claimed that Celeste’s family knew David’s age—he is 20—and still allowed him to run off with their daughter as long as he paid them to keep quiet. He reportedly paid them around $10,000 a week, and in exchange, Celeste was allowed to be with him whenever he wanted.

This horrifying claim is supported by a disturbing screenshot of a message between David and Celeste in which she complained to him about her parents, and he told her he would “fix it.” The word on the street is that he knew money was all they needed, and that’s what he meant by his promise to “fix it.” Another person from Celeste’s circle stated, “This guy is a weirdo… we think her sister was pimping her out. She was in seventh grade at the time.”

A comment from 2024 is now getting a lot of attention, where a resident of Celeste’s community of Lake Elsinore wrote: “Her family knew he was with her since she was 11. They didn’t care. All they cared for was the money given to them… her mother sold her for 10k a week.” These allegations paint a sickening picture of a young girl betrayed by those who were supposed to protect her most.

Art Imitating Life? The Chilling Lyrics

As if the physical evidence wasn’t damning enough, David’s own artistic expressions have come under intense scrutiny, revealing lyrics that are now viewed in a deeply disturbing light. In his hit song “Romantic Homicide,” he sings: “In the back of my mind, you died, and I didn’t even cry, not a single tear. In the back of my mind, I killed you, and I didn’t even regret it. I can’t believe I said it, but it’s true.” In the context of a young girl found dead in his car, these words are beyond chilling.

Furthermore, an old song he had previously released on SoundCloud titled “Celeste” also resurfaced. The lyrics read: “Oh Celeste, the girl with my name tattooed on her chest… Smell her on my clothes like cigarettes. I hear her voice each time I take a breath, I’m obsessed.” These songs, once seen as edgy artistic expressions, now feel like potential confessions, blurring the line between dark fantasy and a horrific reality.

The Police Raid and a Working Theory

The recent police raid on David’s house has provided investigators with what they hope are crucial clues. The house is reportedly just a six-minute walk from the impound lot where his car was found. Police are now speculating that he may have killed her inside the house and then drove the body to be abandoned. Crime scene investigators were seen using Luminol, a chemical that reveals trace amounts of blood, even if it has been cleaned up. They scoured floors and drains, searching for any evidence of a violent struggle. While the results of the search have not been made public, the fact that it prompted David to immediately go on the run speaks volumes.

The public’s frustration has been directed not only at David and the victim’s family but also at the pace of the official investigation. Internet sleuths have pieced together timelines, uncovered old social media posts, and connected dots, often appearing steps ahead of the authorities. This case has become a stark example of how digital forensics by the public can drive a modern criminal investigation forward, for better or worse.

As the nation waits for answers, the story of Celeste Rivas serves as a horrifying cautionary tale. It’s a story of a young life cut tragically short, a rising star’s catastrophic fall from grace, and a family’s alleged betrayal for financial gain. The smoke is thick, and the fire is raging. Now, the only question that remains is when justice will finally be served for Celeste.