Dismembered Teen's Death Cause Revealed

Los Angeles County Coroner revealed that 17-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez died from asphyxiation by strangulation. Her dismembered remains were found on September 18, 2025, inside a Tesla Cybertruck owned by rapper D4vd in a West Hollywood parking lot. (patch.com) The partial skeletal remains, including a skull and pelvis, were discovered by a parking enforcement officer who noticed a foul odor and maggots inside the vehicle. Police identified the Cybertruck via license plate as belonging to Davyd Noeldner, who performs as D4vd and rose to fame with his 2022 TikTok hit "Romantic Movie." (nbclosangeles.com) Noeldner reported the truck stolen on September 14, 2025, just four days prior, after leaving it unlocked with the keys inside at a recording studio on Sunset Boulevard. He claimed ignorance about the remains upon police contact, and his DNA was absent from initial scene processing. (rollingstone.com) The victim was identified via dental records and missing persons reports as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 17-year-old from the Los Angeles area reported missing in early September. She was known to frequent Hollywood nightlife spots and had posted on social media about aspiring to meet celebrities. (dailymail.co.uk) Investigation revealed Noeldner hosted a party at his North Hollywood home on September 13, where Hernandez was last seen alive via Snapchat around 11:30 p.m. Noeldner left for Las Vegas the next morning and noticed the truck missing upon return; he filed the theft report at 8 p.m. on September 14. (people.com) Surveillance footage showed two people parking the truck at 1:30 a.m. on September 14 near Noeldner's home, abandoning it there until discovery. Noeldner cooperated fully, voluntarily providing fingerprints and DNA, which did not match evidence at the scene. (foxla.com) Police publicly stated Noeldner is not a suspect and described him as cooperative, with no reason to believe he had prior knowledge of the death or played a role in the disposal. The case drew attention due to Noeldner's 5 million monthly Spotify listeners and prior media buzz around his rising career. (variety.com) On April 23, 2026, exactly seven months after discovery, the coroner released the cause of death following lengthy forensic analysis, including skeletal examination and scene reconstruction. No suspects have been named, and homicide detectives continue investigating leads on suspects who may have used Noeldner's vehicle post-theft. (patch.com) The case highlights risks of vehicle theft in LA, with Cybertrucks targeted for their high resale value; LAPD reported over 1,200 catalytic converter thefts alone in 2025, often involving staged "stolen" reports. Noeldner resumed touring shortly after the incident without charges. (latimes.com)