In a significant development that has captured national attention, the Los Angeles Police Department has successfully obtained a court order blocking the release of all details surrounding the death of a teenage girl whose body was discovered in a car registered to popular Gen Z singer d4vd.
Court Order Seals Investigation Details
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed on Monday that they received a court order initiated by the LAPD to place a security hold on the case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The 15-year-old's severely decomposed body was found on September 8 in an impounded Tesla in Los Angeles, just after her birthday.
According to official statements, the court order issued on Friday demands that no records or details associated with the case can be released to the public. This includes the cause and manner of death, along with the complete Medical Examiner report. The restrictions will remain in effect until further notice.
Police Defend Transparency Measures
LAPD Captain Mike Bland addressed concerns about transparency, explaining that the security hold was necessary to maintain the integrity of the ongoing investigation. Detectives with the Robbery Homicide Division are leading the probe into the teenager's death.
"It was done so that our investigators get the information before the media and the public," Bland stated. The order came several days after multiple Los Angeles television stations reported that police consider the Houston-born alt-pop singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, a suspect in the case.
The 20-year-old singer's lawyer, Blair Berk, did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. The LAPD has not officially confirmed d4vd's status as a suspect in the investigation.
Medical Examiner Expresses Unusual Nature of Order
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo revealed that such security holds are virtually unheard of in other counties throughout California. The medical examiner's office emphasized their commitment to transparency while acknowledging their legal obligations under the court order.
"We are dedicated to serving our community with full transparency; however, the law precludes us from doing so while the court order remains in this case," Ukpo stated in his official response.
Earlier statements from the medical examiner's office indicated that Rivas Hernandez's body showed signs of severe decomposition and she had likely been deceased inside the vehicle for an extended period before discovery. The teenager was last seen alive in April 2024 in Lake Elsinore, where she was raised, approximately 60 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Impact on d4vd's Music Career
The investigation has already affected the rising star's professional commitments. d4vd, who gained popularity through his unique blend of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop, had to cancel several performances following the discovery.
His viral TikTok hit "Romantic Homicide" peaked at number 4 on Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in 2022. After signing with Darkroom and Interscope Records, he released his debut EP "Petals to Thorns" and follow-up "The Lost Petals" in 2023.
The singer had been touring for his first full-length album "Withered," released in April. The investigation prompted cancellations of his last two North American shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles, along with a scheduled performance at LA's Grammy Museum. His subsequent European tour, set to begin in Norway on October 1, has also been canceled.
As the investigation continues under tight security measures, both music fans and concerned citizens await further developments in this tragic case that has connected the entertainment world with a sobering police investigation.
