Earlier this year, I wrote an album review for a musician known as D4vd. He had just released his debut album, “Withered”, and I was an avid listener for quite some time afterwards. However, as of now, I no longer want to listen to his music or be associated with him in any way. According to several news outlets, D4vd is allegedly connected with a murder.
David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, is under the media microscope and, in my opinion, for good reason. According to the New York Post, a 15-year-old’s body was found in the trunk of a Tesla in Burke’s name in early September. The body was later identified as Celeste Rivas. Burke’s manager and Mogul Vision Founder, Josh Marshall, is denying any affiliation with the incident. In the Post’s article, Marshall says he does not live in California and works remotely, thus removing the need to be in contact with his artists very often. He says that there are “many others that work with him [D4vd] on a day-to-day capacity, not me.”
The Post details that a private investigator found a 2024 email addressed to Marshall from the parents of the then missing girl saying she had run away. The investigator said that Marshall never replied, but that the girl returned home the following day.
In an ABC News article, Rivas’ body was found in the singer’s Tesla trunk on Sept. 8, although she may have been dead for weeks. ABC News received a copy of her death certificate and reported that her cause of death is still pending investigation. Her body was found the day after her 15th birthday.
In an article published by Men’s Journal, Burke and Rivas had matching tattoos, and her mother said that she had a boyfriend named David. Burke was on tour when Rivas’ body was found and initially continued his tour while cooperating with authorities. However, he cancelled the remainder of his tour on Oct. 1. Additionally, Burke had an unreleased love song titled “Celeste” along with her name appearing twice in the lyrics. Police also raided a home in connection with Burke, which he later moved out of.
Currently, Rivas’ death has not been deemed a homicide, nor have any arrests been made at this time.
Speculation surrounding the connection of Burke and Rivas has been circling TikTok as well.Creators are pointing out that many of his songs and music videos may be self-incriminating for the artist. In the song, “Romantic Homicide” his lyrics say “in the back of my mind, you died. And I didn’t even cry, no, not a single tear.” Within his video, Burke is seen blindfolded, covered in blood, and standing in front of a car while two people are seen putting a body in the trunk.
In his music video for the song, “Here with Me,” Burke can be seen hugging and interacting witha girl that many on TikTok have said looks like Rivas. In his “Sleep Well” music video, Burke shows the same girl from “Here with Me.” Lyrics from his song suggest he may have been in a relationship with someone he could not publicly announce, “Even though you don’t think that I’m here, I’ll still be right next to you, my dear.” In his song, “My House is Not a Home,” the singer says “Tell my mother that I’m sorry. Tell my father just the same. Tell my sister that her brother might as well have gone insane.”
Creators on TikTok are also suggesting that the singer had been in an alleged relationship with Rivas for quite some time. Many say that he allegedly had been with her since she was 12 but
could not announce it. If this were true, this would mean that the artist had been grooming her for quite some time.
What is especially distressing to me is that the life of an innocent, young girl was taken so selfishly. She had not yet turned 15. She had so much life left, but that was robbed of her. Someone must take accountability for this. The Rivas family deserves justice. Parents no longer have their daughter because of a selfish and evil act. Many are suggesting Burke is to blame, and that that there must be ‘undeniable evidence’ because of his music videos and lyrics in many of his songs. I hope one day someone will come forward, that there will be undeniable evidence, and that person will be put away for their crime.
Whitley Brown is a third-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
