After months of speculation and delays, officials have announced that the teen girl found in singer D4vd's car died from multiple penetrating injuries.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner's office on Wednesday announced that they'd ruled Celeste Rivas Hernandez's death a homicide, noting that the 14-year-old died of injuries caused by an undisclosed object or objects.
She was found dead in the front boot of a Tesla registered to TikTok star D4vd, 21, in September. The singer is facing several charges in her death, including murder.
D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys say they will vigorously defend his innocence.
The musician's defence team has said it believes the actual evidence will show that David did not kill Celeste and he was not the cause of her death.
Burke is due back in Los Angeles court on Thursday at 0830 local time (1630 BST).
Investigators at the medical examiner's office had examined Rivas Hernandez's body shortly after she was found in September and determined the cause and manner of death on 9 December but were barred from releasing it publicly as police investigated the case.
Prosecutors allege the teen was killed and her body dismembered sometime on or around 5 May 2025, charging documents have said, at least four months before her body was discovered.
According to the medical examiner's report obtained by the BBC, stab wounds were discovered on her abdomen and chest during the autopsy. The report includes some new details about her remains, including that forensic teams found shredded blue plastic in some of her wounds.
A toxicology report said methamphetamine or MDMA and a low level of alcohol were found in her system, but noted that neither appeared to play a role in her death.
Rivas Hernandez's family made their first public statement this week, following Burke's arraignment in court on Monday. They thanked the police, prosecutors and the residents in their community of Lake Elsinore for the support over the months.
Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night and we spent wonderful times together, her parents Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez said in a statement. We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is Justice for Celeste.
At a news conference, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the teen went to Burke's home in the Hollywood Hills on 23 April 2025 and she was never heard from again.
Her parents had reported her missing in April but it wasn't until September when she was found dead. More than seven months passed after that before police arrested the Romantic Homicide and Here With Me singer in Los Angeles last week.
The singer, who was detained by police and has been held without bail since, largely retreated from public life after the teen's body was found in his car last year. His world tour was cancelled, and deals he had with brands were reportedly axed.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell defended his agency's handling of the case, emphasizing the priority of delivering justice for Celeste Rivas and ensuring the investigation was thorough.
