David Anthony Burke, who began his music career as D4vd after uploading Fortnite montages to YouTube with his own original songs in 2021, has reportedly been identified as a suspect in the murder of Celeste Rivas.
According to TMZ, law enforcement said that despite there being no official paperwork classifying Burke as a suspect yet, "investigators are looking at [him] as a suspect." Those same investigators reportedly claimed they're viewing Rivas' death as a homicide while waiting on toxicology results from the medical examiner's office.
An NBC Los Angeles report corroborates TMZ, stating that an LAPD officer with direct knowledge of the investigation said Burke has been uncooperative with the investigation and that he likely had help with dismembering and disposing of Rivas' body this past spring. According to law enforcement, who spoke to NBC News, Rivas' remains were not intact when discovered.
Sources told ABC News that, although the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made, investigators have contacted multiple people they believe were involved with the case in some way. This includes Burke.
Celeste Rivas disappeared in the Lake Elsinore area last year. She was reportedly last seen on April 5, 2024, in the western Riverside County community in Southern California. Family members said she knew Burke, and her brother, Matthew, told NBCLA that she was on her way to see a movie with him the day she disappeared.
Rivas' body was found in the front trunk of a Tesla parked in an LA tow yard on September 8. Workers noticed a foul odor coming from the vehicle, which was registered to Burke, and notified nearby authorities. Officers came through and discovered the remains in a bag, later to be identified via forensics as the missing teenager.
Burke was a rising star in the alternative R&B scene, but he started as a gamer. He uploaded various Fortnite montages and anime compilations to YouTube under a channel called "ant" in 2021, but his videos kept getting copyright strikes because of his music choices. To combat this, he started creating his own songs to pair with his videos, which eventually led to his D4vd persona, which he claimed in a Zach Sang Show interview was both for SEO and the four cinematic universes (and the characters) he was building.
He quickly found popularity on TikTok and eventually signed a record deal with Interscope Records' Darkroom label. He'd then produce a single for Arcane Season 2, record the official Fortnite anthem "Locked & Loaded," perform at The Game Awards in December 2024, and go on a world tour in August 2025. The remaining tour dates have been canceled following Rivas' death.
According to ABC News, investigators believe that the medical examiner's office will determine the official cause of death soon. Sources said this will be a vital step in making an arrest and finalizing the charges.
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According to TMZ, law enforcement said that despite there being no official paperwork classifying Burke as a suspect yet, "investigators are looking at [him] as a suspect." Those same investigators reportedly claimed they're viewing Rivas' death as a homicide while waiting on toxicology results from the medical examiner's office.
An NBC Los Angeles report corroborates TMZ, stating that an LAPD officer with direct knowledge of the investigation said Burke has been uncooperative with the investigation and that he likely had help with dismembering and disposing of Rivas' body this past spring. According to law enforcement, who spoke to NBC News, Rivas' remains were not intact when discovered.
Sources told ABC News that, although the investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made, investigators have contacted multiple people they believe were involved with the case in some way. This includes Burke.
Celeste Rivas disappeared in the Lake Elsinore area last year. She was reportedly last seen on April 5, 2024, in the western Riverside County community in Southern California. Family members said she knew Burke, and her brother, Matthew, told NBCLA that she was on her way to see a movie with him the day she disappeared.
Rivas' body was found in the front trunk of a Tesla parked in an LA tow yard on September 8. Workers noticed a foul odor coming from the vehicle, which was registered to Burke, and notified nearby authorities. Officers came through and discovered the remains in a bag, later to be identified via forensics as the missing teenager.
Burke was a rising star in the alternative R&B scene, but he started as a gamer. He uploaded various Fortnite montages and anime compilations to YouTube under a channel called "ant" in 2021, but his videos kept getting copyright strikes because of his music choices. To combat this, he started creating his own songs to pair with his videos, which eventually led to his D4vd persona, which he claimed in a Zach Sang Show interview was both for SEO and the four cinematic universes (and the characters) he was building.
He quickly found popularity on TikTok and eventually signed a record deal with Interscope Records' Darkroom label. He'd then produce a single for Arcane Season 2, record the official Fortnite anthem "Locked & Loaded," perform at The Game Awards in December 2024, and go on a world tour in August 2025. The remaining tour dates have been canceled following Rivas' death.
According to ABC News, investigators believe that the medical examiner's office will determine the official cause of death soon. Sources said this will be a vital step in making an arrest and finalizing the charges.
Source