Texas police responded to a false report of an active shooting at the family residence of Queens-native singer D4vd. This incident occurred shortly after the disturbing discovery of a decayed body of a teenage girl in his abandoned Tesla.
David Anthony Burke, who is 20 years old and performs under the name D4vd, was away on his world tour when authorities located a decomposing corpse in the trunk of his Tesla, which was impounded in California’s Hollywood Hills on September 8.
Just one day before a police raid at Burke’s home in Los Angeles, which occurred on September 18, officers in Texas were dispatched to his family’s home in Hampstead after receiving alarming reports of a shooting with potential casualties.
According to body camera footage obtained by TMZ, Burke’s parents met the police at their doorstep, both armed, in a state of panic.
Burke’s mother reassured the officers that her husband, daughter, and son were the only occupants at the house and were unharmed, as seen in the footage.
While Burke was reportedly concluding his U.S. tour in Los Angeles, many of his scheduled performances were quickly cancelled due to speculation surrounding his alleged ties to Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 15-year-old girl discovered in his vehicle.
The worry that someone might have infiltrated their home led Burke’s parents to request a thorough inspection by the police.
After a comprehensive search, no one else was located, and the event was classified as a “swatting” prank.
Rivas Hernandez was originally reported missing in 2024 and was found in a plastic wrap, significantly decayed. Her remains were uncovered after civilians reported a foul smell emanating from the Tesla.
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The vehicle had even received a parking ticket 11 days prior to the discovery of Rivas Hernandez’s body. Authorities estimated she might have been dead for “several weeks.”
<pAccording to Rivas Hernandez’s mother, her daughter had previously run away from home three times before her case and had mentioned having a boyfriend with the name David.
Burke had earlier composed an unreleased song that referenced the name “Celeste” multiple times. Additionally, he shared an unsettling music video in February where he portrayed himself placing his own corpse into a car trunk.
At this point, Burke has not been identified as a suspect in the investigation. Rivas Hernandez’s remains have been returned to her family, although the official cause of death remains undetermined.
Rising to fame on TikTok with the hit single “Romantic Homicide” in 2022, the young artist quickly capitalized on his success by releasing additional tracks for popular animated series like “Invincible” and “Arcane.” He also acted as an opening act for SZA during her 2023 North American tour.