The day after a body was found in his car in Hollywood, singer D4vd was belting his TikTok hit Romantic Homicide - a brooding breakup song about killing an ex with no regret - to a sold-out crowd in Minneapolis. The US recording artist had self-launched his music career from his sister's closet while working a part-time gig at Starbucks. It led him to viral fame, millions of followers online, and a global tour. But all of it came to an abrupt halt last month with the discovery of a severely decomposed body in the front trunk of his Tesla. The corpse was identified as that of 15-year-old runaway Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
A month later, mystery still surrounds the teen's death, as well as her relationship to the 20-year-old singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke. Deep dives into his macabre oeuvre - which is peppered with references to death, remembrance, violence and bloody motifs - have led some to question if life was imitating art and vice versa.
The young singer has yet to publicly comment on the case or the grim discovery in his car. His spokesperson has only said that he is fully cooperating with authorities and he has since hired a prominent criminal defense attorney who has represented celebrities such as Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan, Kanye West, and Britney Spears. Rivas Hernandez's cause of death has yet to be determined. The county's medical examiner has said her body was severely decomposed when it was found and has deferred making a ruling on how she died - an investigation they say could take months.
Police have also not named a suspect or person of interest in the case, even weeks after discovering her body. The Los Angeles Police Department has not offered many details in the investigation, calling it an open death investigation. The department would not comment on multiple questions posed by the BBC about the case, the investigation, and any connections the singer may have to Rivas Hernandez.
It is clear that every day without an arrest makes the case more bizarre. With the tragic circumstances involving Rivas Hernandez's family, and a young artist's career hanging in the balance due to the ongoing investigation, the public remains captivated by the unfolding narrative.