By Editor,Luke Kenton

Copyright dailymail

Rapper D4vd allegedly was in an underage relationship with the missing teenager whose dismembered body was found decomposing in the trunk of his Tesla, sources have claimed to the Daily Mail.

The remains of Celeste Rivas, who was 13 when she was reported missing in early May 2024, were discovered in the front trunk of an impounded car registered to D4vd – real name David Anthony Burke, 20 – on September 8.

The vehicle had been abandoned for several days near Doheny Place and Bluebird Avenue in the Hollywood Hills, close to a $20,000-a-month four-bedroom, four-bathroom home the singer had been renting.

Police raided the property on Wednesday evening and were seen hauling evidence bags into an SUV, but declined to confirm if the search was related to Rivas or Burke.

A date and cause of death for Rivas have not been confirmed. However, officials with the LAPD said the case is being investigated as a homicide, and it appeared the missing teen had been dead for some time because her remains were severely decomposed.

Rivas, of Lake Elsinore, would have celebrated her 15th birthday the day before her remains were found.

Sources close to the girl told the Daily Mail she had run away a few times in the past and last spoke to her family by phone in May 2024. One source claimed Rivas remained in contact with some of her school friends for more than a year after, but stopped replying to messages sometime in late July or early August of this year.

They described Rivas as bubbly and friendly and her home life as ‘complicated’, adding she’d been skipping classes at Lakeland Middle School before her 2024 disappearance.

Two sources claimed Rivas had been in a relationship with Burke before she vanished. One claimed their illicit relations were an open secret among her inner circle at school.

It’s unclear when the alleged relationship began, but one source claimed Rivas first met Burke when she was 12 or 13.

Rivas’ brother, Matthew Rivas, told NBCLA that the family was aware of the alleged relationship. He claimed his sister vanished after going to see a movie with Burke in May 2024 and never returned.

Matthew Rivas claimed Burke would frequently pick his sister up in the same Tesla Model Y in which her remains were later discovered.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Burke and his representatives about the ongoing investigation and the claims made by our sources, but has not received any response.

LAPD confirmed he is cooperating and has not been charged or accused of any crimes. Lakeland Middle School has also been contacted for comment.

Two law enforcement sources told The LA Times that investigators are trying to determine Rivas’ movements before her body was found. They are also looking into photos posted online and trying to determine if there is any connection between Rivas and D4vd, said the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Since Rivas was identified by police on Wednesday, a trail of disturbing information has since emerged online, suggesting potential ties between Rivas and Burke.

Rivas’ mother, Mercedes Martinez, told TMZ earlier this week that her daughter had a boyfriend called ‘David’, and had a tattoo on her right index finger that read ‘Shh…’ – matching one that Burke has.

An undated image has also surfaced on social media, showing Burke interacting with teenagers in Lake Elsinore, less than half a mile from Rivas’ family home.

Other images, screenshotted from Burke’s Instagram and Discord accounts, appear to show the singer with a girl who bears a strong resemblance to Rivas.

In each of the images, the girl’s face is partially concealed, but her hair and height match the descriptions of Rivas given by her family to law enforcement.

One image, purported to have been posted on Burke’s close friend’s Instagram story, shows the singer huddled up next to the girl in a mirror selfie, with the caption ‘luh calm pic.’

A second shows Burke next to a girl with a handbag covering her face in Los Angeles, with the caption, ‘absolutely mogged. While a third, appearing to have been captured from a FaceTime call and later posted to Instagram, shows Burke and a girl identified in the caption as ‘celeste’ calling an unknown person in the early hours.

It’s not clear when any of the photos were taken.

A fourth image, captured on Discord in December 2023, shows Burke with a girl matching Rivas’ description, with her face partially hidden by a blanket. In the exchange, Burke is asked, ‘aye whos the girl?’ to which he appears to respond: ‘u are a feddddd’.

Other Discord chats have since surfaced on Reddit, with references to a girl named Celeste dating back to at least 2022.

Conspiracy theories have also since abounded online about Burke’s hit 2022 song, Romantic Homicide. Some sleuths noted the song’s music video was released on Rivas’ birthday (Sept. 7) and claim his co-star in the music video closely resembles Rivas.

The song discusses killing a lover and includes the lyrics: ‘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 / I hate you.’

Burke is known for referencing dark imagery in his music, leaning heavily on blood-splattered visuals in his branding.

His official store sells Custom ITAMI Bloody Shirts – white shirts streaked with red stains – which were promoted alongside his vinyl release, Itami Withered.

The bloodied shirts form part of an alter-ego Burke created, known as Itami, through which he channels themes of pain, obsession and heartbreak. In interviews, he has described the character as a dreamlike extension of his artistry.

Another of his videos, One More Dance, features a young Hispanic woman with curly hair and shows a blindfolded and blood-soaked Itami dragging Burke into the back of a car in a secluded woodland. The video later features a police chase.

A song titled ‘Celeste_Demo unfin’ was also uploaded to Soundcloud on Wednesday. The song’s authenticity has not been confirmed, but leakers claim it was recorded by Burke in December 2023, and the lyrics explicitly reference a girl called Celeste.

‘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,’ went some of the lyrics.

Burke was out of state on tour when Rivas’ body was found on September 8.

The horrifying discovery was made two days after the star’s Tesla was impounded when police were alerted to a foul stench emanating from the electric vehicle’s front trunk.

Rivas’ dismembered and severely decomposed remains were discovered in a bag, ABC News reported.

She was found wearing a tube top, black leggings, a yellow metal bracelet, and metal stud earrings.

At the time, a representative for Burke confirmed he’d been notified of the discovery and ‘although he is still on tour, he is fully cooperating with the authorities.’

Burke continued to perform his scheduled tour dates up until Wednesday, when Rivas’ identity was confirmed. Shortly after, he announced a scheduled show in Seattle would be cancelled.

Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Burke’s car was never reported stolen before it was impounded.

Neighbors near his rental in the Hollywood Hills told Rolling Stone that the 2023 Tesla Model Y was spotted in various places in the local area over the past few months.

The sedan was left in its final spot on Bluebird Avenue for about three weeks, and before that, it was seen parked a few blocks south as far back as the end of May, the outlet reported.

An address tied to Burke was also searched by investigators twice in the Houston neighborhood of Cyprus, Texas, earlier this week, officials told the Daily Mail.

Property records show the home is in the name of Thorn Rose Trust, an LLC resembling the name of Burke’s album, Petals to Thorns.

Deputies responded to the home on Monday and Tuesday, according to a spokesperson for the local sheriff’s office, after the home security system triggered an alarm on each day.

Investigators said it was a false alarm. Neighbors told Click2Houston they haven’t seen any activity at the home for weeks.

So far, no search warrants have been executed at the Texas property.

Burke, 20, is a platinum-selling artist who gained international popularity on TikTok.

He previously opened for R&B singer SZA on the North American leg of her SOS Tour in the fall of 2023. He has also collaborated with Kali Uchis and British singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone.

Uchis announced on Instagram on Wednesday that she would be removing her collaboration with D4vd from all streaming platforms.

Post to social media shows Burke rubbing shoulders with the likes of Billie Eilish, Rosalia and 21 Savage.

In November 2023, he performed Romantic Homicide on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Burke has not issued a public comment about the discovery in his Tesla or posted about it on his Instagram account to his 2 million followers.

Brands Crocs and Hollister pulled the performer from their ‘Dream Drop’ marketing campaigns on their websites and social media pages after Rivas’s remains were found.

The campaign debuted on September 3 and showcased Burke modeling Crocs and Hollister apparel in coordinated pastel looks.

The product images remain online, but Burke’s face has been cropped out of frame.

In a joint statement, the companies said: ‘We are aware of this developing story.

‘With respect to the current situation, we have removed campaign content featuring D4vd while the investigation continues.’

A GoFundMe has been set up for Rivas’s family.

The fundraiser’s organizer shared a brief statement on behalf of the girl’s loved ones, which read: ‘As many of you know, Celeste Rivas Hernandez has been identified as the body found last week. She was a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend.

‘Her family is heartbroken and devastated by this tragic loss. They are seeking help to lay her body to rest. Any funds you are able to donate are greatly appreciated.