As Los Angeles police face questions as to why there’s been no arrest in the case of deceased teenager Celeste Rivas, whose dismembered body was found in the trunk of singer D4vd’s car, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell has offered some answers.
“We have a lot of resources dedicated to bringing it to a conclusion,” McDonnell told local news station ABC7 Los Angeles.
In a sit-down interview, published online Thursday, Sept. 25, McDonnell referred to the case as a “homicide” investigation, but noted, “To go beyond what’s already been made public would be inappropriate.”
On Sept. 8, officers were summoned to a tow yard in Hollywood regarding a strong odor coming from an impounded Tesla. They found a decomposed body in the front trunk that had been placed inside a bag.
Related: D4vd Bolts From House at Center of Investigation Into Teen’s Death
The vehicle had Texas plates and was registered to rising pop star D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke.
In the ABC7 interview, the police chief confirmed investigators are looking into reports alleging D4vd, 20, was involved in an illicit romantic relationship with Rivas, 14.
“Certainly, whenever you investigate a homicide, detectives look at all of the associated issues as well. In this case, that’s something they would be looking at,” McDonnell said.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner identified the body of the missing teenager on Sept. 17. The coroner listed her age as 15. Rivas’ birthday was on Sept. 7, but the decomposition suggests she died when she was 14.
Officially, the medical examiner’s office listed the cause and manner of death as “deferred” on its website, pending additional tests.
So far, police have released few details about the case, leading to calls on social media and from some high profile media personalities, for answers.
On the Friday, Sept. 26 episode of her “Crime Stories” podcast, attorney and victims’ rights advocate Nancy Grace told viewers D4vd had “fled” his rented Hollywood Hills home after detectives searched the property. She said, “LAPD, why no arrest?”
Grace was joined by Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney Troy Slaten, who is not involved in the case.
The media personality insisted police should take a close look at D4vd’s “One More Dance” music video, which shows a body being put into the trunk of a car. Slaten pushed back, telling Grace she was jumping to conclusions.
“Just because he was obsessed with these morbid themes, that doesn’t mean he’s a murderer.” Slaten said.
D4vd has not spoken publicly about the case. But in a statement earlier this month, a rep for the singer said, “He is fully cooperating with the authorities.”
Celeste was from Lake Elsinore, California, about 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles. She reportedly ran away from home multiple times, and was last seen on April 5, 2024.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office released a missing person’s poster, saying she was 13 years old when she vanished, and weighed 120 pounds.
Many people have noted the coroner’s office in L.A. said her remains weighed 71 pounds.
News Nation host Ashleigh Banfield asked about the weight difference last week in an interview with Joseph Scott Morgan, a podcaster and forensic analyst with Jacksonville State University.
Morgan offered two possible explanations — and both were disturbing.
He said some of the teenager’s body parts may have been “missing,” or Celeste’s remains had severely broken down in the trunk of the Tesla under the hot sun.
“Look, I don’t want to go too far over the top here, but bodies do have a tendency to break down and even liquify to a certain degree,” he said, noting, “heat speeds everything up, including decomposition.”
The News Nation interview is below:
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