Investigator Confirms 'Sadistic' Discovery in D4vd, Celeste Rivas Case

Last month, authorities discovered the body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas in the trunk of a Tesla registered to 20-year-old singer D4vd. Despite the high-profile nature of the case, updates from authorities have been few and far between. However, thanks to work from a prominent private investigator, we now have some details.

Private investigator Steve Fischer was hired by the owner of a Hollywood Hills home where D4vd had been living. He has already shared some details of his investigation, which included a search of the home, but he is now sharing more information about what he is calling a "sadistic" discovery in the home.

What We Know of the Case So Far

• A decomposing body was found inside a Tesla belonging to musician D4vd at an impound lot in Hollywood on Sept. 8.
• The car was brought to the impound lot after “someone reported it abandoned” in Hollywood Hills, and police were called after workers “reported a strong odor” coming from the Tesla.
• The Tesla was never reported as stolen.
• The body was discovered inside a bag in the Tesla’s front trunk. The remains were not intact and had badly decomposed.
• The remains were so decomposed that it took authorities more than a week to identify the body.
• The remains were eventually identified as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas.
• D4vd has a matching tattoo with Rivas, and her mother said she has been missing for over a year and that her daughter’s boyfriend was named David.
• D4vd initially decided to continue his world tour while cooperating with the investigation, but he cancelled the remainder of his tour on Wednesday.
• An unreleased love song written by D4vd references someone by the name of “Celeste” in the unfinished title and twice in the lyrics.
• Police raided a home connected to D4vd as they continue the investigation.
• D4vd moves out of the home that the police raided.
• Authorities have not officially deemed the death a homicide since medical examiners have been unable to determine an official cause of death.
• D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is not considered a suspect at this point, though he has hired a high-profile defense attorney.

Private Investigator Hired

While Fischer is a private citizen and not a member of the Los Angeles Police Department, which is investigating the case, he was hired by the owner of the Hollywood Hills home at which D4vd was living to investigate the case himself.

“He wants to understand exactly what may have happened and if his house played a role in any way,” Fischer told ABC Eyewitness News.

Fischer had the opportunity to investigate the home himself after the Los Angeles Police Department made its own search of the property.

A 'Sadistic' Discovery

When Fischer investigated the home, he discovered some things that he believes could be used to "get rid of a person."

“It's not a crime to think about doing certain things, but we found some things that had been delivered to the house that just don’t belong there – don’t belong in any type of environment like that,” he told Court TV during a recent interview. “They are things you could use to get rid of a person, if you wanted to.”

Fischer had mentioned his discovery in previous interviews, but he added a bit more confirmation about it in this interview. While he still did not get into specifics about what he found in the house, he did make it clear that it goes beyond simple tools, calling his findings “sadistic.”

"People say, 'Oh, it's gotta be tools and stuff.' It's beyond that," Fischer said. “It's really sadistic stuff.”

Fischer was sure to point out that it's not necessarily a crime to own these items, but it does certainly look suspicious.

“I think it does show that there was some intent,” Fischer said.

D4vd Has Not Been Named a Suspect

Despite several apparent connections between D4vd and Rivas, as well as the evidence Fischer discovered at the home where he had been living, the singer has not been charged or accused of a crime or named as a suspect in her death. In fact, the death has not even been officially considered a homicide at this point.

“The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has not yet determined the cause or manner of Ms. Rivas Hernandez’s death. As such, it remains unclear whether there is any criminal culpability beyond the concealment of her body,” the LAPD said in a statement earlier this month. “RHD is thoroughly examining every aspect of this case to uncover the truth and seek justice for Celeste Rivas Hernandez and her family.”

The LAPD has not ruled out the possibility of an accidental death.