Singer D4vd Named Prime Suspect in Teen’s Dismemberment Homicide Amid Tesla Evidence

When D4vd, the rising pop-R&B artist known for hauntingly atmospheric hits like "In My Bed," was formally named the prime suspect in the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the music world didn’t just pause—it recoiled. The New York Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division confirmed the designation just 24 hours before public reports broke on November 19, 2025. The grim discovery? Her dismembered remains, hidden inside a Tesla registered to D4vd, found in a Brooklyn storage lot in September 2025. This isn’t just another celebrity scandal. It’s a case that blends the innocence of a child lost, the chilling precision of a crime scene, and the digital echo chamber of Gen Z’s obsession with true crime.

The Discovery That Shook a City

The body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found on September 12, 2025, inside a black Tesla Model Y parked in a private warehouse near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. According to NYPD sources, the vehicle had been reported missing by its owner—D4vd—on September 8, after he failed to return it to his rented garage in Long Island City. When investigators opened the trunk, they found what they described as “post-mortem trauma consistent with mechanical dismemberment.” The victim’s head, hands, and feet were never recovered. Forensic teams recovered tissue samples, blood spatter patterns, and traces of industrial-grade plastic wrap used to bundle body parts—evidence suggesting the killer had knowledge of anatomy and access to tools not typically found in a car.

Why D4vd? The Evidence Chain

The link between D4vd and the crime isn’t circumstantial—it’s physical. The Tesla’s GPS logs show the vehicle was driven to a wooded area near the Catskill Mountains on the night of April 18, 2025, at 2:47 a.m., and remained there for 11 hours. Cell tower pings from D4vd’s iPhone placed him at the same location during that window. His manager, whose identity remains undisclosed, was also logged as being in proximity to the vehicle’s last known Wi-Fi hotspot—an apartment in Queens rented under a shell LLC. Investigators say they’ve obtained search warrants for D4vd’s iCloud, Instagram DMs, and private messaging apps, where they found deleted photos of a teenage girl matching Celeste’s description, taken in the weeks before her disappearance.

“He wasn’t just uncooperative,” said one investigator, speaking anonymously to a YouTube news channel. “He lied about his whereabouts on three separate occasions. And when we asked about the Tesla, he said it was ‘stolen.’ But the car keys? They were in his pocket when we arrested him for a minor traffic violation two days after the body was found.”

“He Didn’t Act Alone”

The most chilling revelation? Law enforcement now believes D4vd had help. People magazine, citing multiple sources within the NYPD, reported that investigators believe “the dismemberment required at least two people.” One theory under active investigation is that D4vd’s manager—a man in his late 30s with prior experience in event security—may have assisted in transporting and disposing of the body. Phone records show the manager made over 120 calls to an unregistered burner phone between April 15 and April 22, 2025. That same number was used to purchase a chainsaw from a hardware store in Newburgh, NY, on April 17.

“We’re not just chasing a singer,” said an anonymous detective. “We’re chasing a system. Someone had the means, the knowledge, and the access to silence a 14-year-old girl without leaving a trace. And that’s terrifying.”

Why This Case Went Viral Overnight

Celeste’s case exploded on TikTok within 48 hours of the first TMZ report on November 18, 2025. Fans of D4vd—many of them teenagers—began posting #JusticeForCeleste, while others defended the artist with hashtags like #D4vdIsInnocent. One fan-made video, showing D4vd’s lyrics alongside photos of Celeste, racked up 23 million views in 72 hours. The case became a lightning rod for discussions about celebrity privilege, online predators, and how easily minors can vanish in the digital age.

“It’s not just about the music,” said Dr. Elena Ruiz, a sociologist at NYU who studies youth culture and crime. “This is a case where fandom and horror collided. Kids aren’t just consuming true crime—they’re participating in it. And that changes how investigations unfold.”

What Happens Next?

D4vd remains in custody at Rikers Island, charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors are expected to file additional charges against his manager once they secure a warrant for his arrest. The NYPD has launched a public appeal for anyone who saw the Tesla near the Catskills in April to come forward. Meanwhile, streaming platforms have pulled D4vd’s music from playlists, and his label, Interscope Records, has issued a statement saying they are “cooperating fully with authorities.”

The timeline is tight: from body discovery in September to suspect designation in November. That’s faster than most homicide investigations. But this case didn’t just move fast—it went supernova.

Background: Who Was Celeste Rivas Hernandez?

Celeste, whose age is officially listed as 14 by the NYC Medical Examiner’s Office (though some media reported 15), was a seventh-grade student at PS 123 in the Bronx. She was described by teachers as quiet but gifted in art, often sketching in notebooks during lunch. Her mother, Maria Hernandez, a single parent who worked two jobs, reported her missing on April 20, 2025, after she didn’t return from a school field trip to the Bronx Botanical Gardens. Police initially treated it as a runaway case—until the Tesla was found.

What This Means for the Music Industry

D4vd’s rise was meteoric. Signed at 17, he won a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2024. His music—dark, intimate, emotionally raw—resonated with a generation raised on anxiety and isolation. But now, his lyrics are being re-examined. Lines like “I buried the truth under my floorboards” and “She never left the car, she just stopped breathing” are being cited by prosecutors as possible confessions.

This isn’t just about one artist. It’s about the unchecked power structures in entertainment—where young fans idolize, managers control access, and accountability is buried under NDAs and private jets.