Frozen and decapitated – sources close to police described gruesome details about Celeste Rivas’ body. But what is really true?
Celeste Rivas’ body was neither frozen nor headless when police officers found her in the Tesla registered to d4vd in Los Angeles. LA homicide detective Scott Williams made this clear. “TMZ,” among others, had previously reported on the alleged condition of the body, citing sources close to the police.
“The whole freezing thing doesn’t make any sense at all.”
“Celeste’s body wasn’t frozen. She wasn’t decapitated. The whole freezing thing doesn’t make any sense. Her body was in the car for weeks,” Williams corrected to People. “Even if she had been frozen when she was placed in the car, which there is no evidence of, spending five or more weeks in the trunk of a car in the scorching heat of the middle of summer would not have led to the discovery of a partially frozen body on September 8th.”
Although the official cause of death remains unclear, investigators are treating the case as a “homicide investigation,” according to documents obtained by the LA Times, Hot New Hip Hop reported.
Security restriction imposed for the case
The Los Angeles County coroner will not learn more at this time. In a statement on Monday, November 24th, according to Hot New Hip Hop, he said that the police had placed a security restriction in the case.
“Until further notice, no records or details relating to this case, including the cause and manner of death and the coroner’s report, may be released or posted on the website,” the coroner said.
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“The agency understands the public interest in this case and remains committed to ensuring transparency to the greatest extent possible. The information will be made available once the court order is lifted.”
According to consistent media reports, d4vd is classified by the police as a suspect in the murder case. However, he has not yet been charged with a crime in connection with Rivas’ death.
The backgrounds
On September 8, 2025, the LAPD found a dismembered and badly decomposed body in a Tesla at a tow yard in Hollywood, later identified as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas. The car was registered on d4vd.
Were d4vd and Celeste a couple?
Rivas had previously disappeared for over a year. She was last seen in Lake Elsinore, California on April 5, 2025 and was subsequently reported missing. Speaking to TMZ, Rivas’ mother said she immediately thought the discovery of the Tesla was suspicious because her daughter’s boyfriend was supposedly named David.
Social media users rumored a possible relationship between d4vd, whose real name is David Burke, and Celeste Rivas, who must have been 13 or 14 years old at the time.
d4vd also has a tattoo of the letters “Shhh” on one finger – just like Celeste Rivas. However, the tattoo is very common among celebrities and music enthusiasts. While evidence of possible connections between Rivas and Burke initially accumulated, an actual relationship or even an acquaintance was never proven beyond doubt.
Manager’s house examined for traces
Nevertheless, d4vd was repeatedly the focus of investigations. In September, in connection with the murder investigation, the police searched dv4d’s manager’s rental house, where d4vd also lived. Unconfirmed sources suggested that police may be considering the house as a possible crime scene.
The house, which is not far from where the body was found, was reportedly rented to Josh Marshall, d4vd’s manager, at the time the body was found. According to TMZ, the LAPD homicide unit searched the house for traces of blood and took a computer and several bags of evidence.