Nationwide — Authorities investigating the disturbing death of Celeste Rivas, a 14-year-old teen whose remains were discovered inside the trunk of musician D4vd’s Tesla, are now facing major obstacles in determining exactly how she died. According to sources with direct knowledge of the investigation, the L.A. County Medical Examiner is unlikely to establish a definitive cause of death because Celeste’s body had been frozen for an extended period, severely complicating forensic analysis.
According to TMZ, investigators say the condition of Celeste’s remains was far worse than initially reported. When the medical examiner received her body, it was decapitated, the torso remained intact, and her limbs had been removed and severed into multiple pieces. Every part of her body was only partially thawed, suggesting it had been frozen and then left to warm inside the car’s trunk over several days.
The body was discovered only after D4vd’s Tesla—which had been parked unmoved on a Hollywood Hills street near his rental home—was towed by authorities. During the routine inventory search at the impound yard, employees opened the trunk and made the gruesome discovery. Celeste’s remains were in such poor condition that, at first, investigators could not determine whether the victim was male or female.
Although the Medical Examiner initially labeled the case an “apparent homicide,” the extensive decomposition, dismemberment, and freezing now make it nearly impossible to determine a clear cause or manner of death. According to sources, the final determination will likely be listed as “undetermined.” However, LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division is still treating the case as a homicide based on the totality of the evidence. Legally, an arrest can still be made even if the cause of death remains undetermined.
TMZ previously reported that D4vd is officially a suspect in Celeste’s death, and investigators also believe a second person assisted in the dismemberment and disposal of her body. Defense attorney Mark Geragos stated on the “2 Angry Men” podcast that he has been informed of the second suspect’s identity. According to what Geragos was told, this individual may have been involved before, during, and after Celeste’s death, suggesting a coordinated effort to conceal the crime.
A critical part of the investigation involves a late-night trip D4vd allegedly made to a remote area of Santa Barbara County earlier this year, where he reportedly stayed for two hours. Detectives are exploring whether Celeste’s remains were originally taken to that rural location in the spring and then stored in a freezer for months before being transported in D4vd’s car during the late summer. This working theory could explain the partial freezing and the extreme condition of Celeste’s body when it was found.