Dismembered Teen's Death Cause Revealed

Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old found dismembered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd, died from multiple penetrating injuries, the Los Angeles County medical examiner said April 22. (abcnews.com) The newly unsealed report says she had two penetrating wounds to the torso, including one that injured her liver, and ruled her death a homicide. The report had been completed on Dec. 9, 2025, but stayed under seal until a court ordered it released this week. (abcnews.com) ABC7 reported the remains were found in September 2025 in the front trunk of the Tesla and that the body weighed 71 pounds at autopsy because of advanced decomposition. The report also noted blue plastic fragments embedded in cut surfaces and presumptive positives for benzodiazepines and methamphetamine or MDMA. (abc7.com) The release answers a question that had been open since workers at a Hollywood tow yard reported a foul odor on Sept. 8, 2025 and police found human remains in the impounded vehicle. Celeste had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore on April 5, 2024, when she was 13. (ktla.com) That timeline became central to the criminal case this week. Los Angeles County prosecutors charged D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, on April 20 with first-degree murder, sexual-offense counts involving a child under 14, and mutilation of human remains. (da.lacounty.gov) District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the complaint alleges Burke killed Celeste to protect “his very lucrative musical career” after she threatened to expose their relationship. Burke has pleaded not guilty, and his legal team has maintained his innocence. (abcnews.com; apnews.com) FOX 11 reported the medical examiner’s office had removed details from its website in late November after the Los Angeles Police Department placed a security hold on the case. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo said this week that the family had waited months to learn what happened to their daughter. (foxla.com; abc7.com) Celeste’s family said through their attorney that they were “absolutely devastated” by the report’s findings and asked for privacy. After seven months of public uncertainty, the case has shifted from identifying the victim and cause of death to litigating the charges in court. (abcnews.com; apnews.com)