As of early September, horrifying news surfaced in the media, leaving netizens unsettled. The dead body of a teenage girl Celeste Rivas Hernandez--who was reported missing for the past year--was discovered. The body of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in the trunk of famous singer D4vd’s Tesla, which was in a tow yard after the vehicle was considered abandoned. While the vehicle sat in the tow yard, an employee and passersby reported a foul smell coming from the Tesla. The complaints led to an investigation, which led to the discovery of the teenager. As news teens spread, so did information of her current state. Celeste was found in a disturbing state, which led to speculations about whether there was foul play. D4vd--being a potential suspect involved in the death—caused fans and many netizens to question whether if he is innocent.
D4vd—born David Anthony Burke—is a popular artist among teenagers who blew up on through social media influence. However, as news of the discovered body spread, many fans and users are starting to question how they feel about him. “Well, I believe because, well, first, he is very popular, and he is famous. I guess, like people, they did not really expect that out of him. They found him, I guess like innocent.” Allaya Snelson, a student at Hillgrove High School explained. “I do know that he was on tour. Clearly, he was ignoring it, which was a little bit strange, because I feel like, you know you're, you know, still going on tour, and you're just basically on news, yeah, you know, it is weird.” She added, expressing how it occurred to her that things felt unnerving.
As the crime spread throughout social media, many users took matters into their own hands. Users started going through D4vds social media activity and searched for clues themselves. It is speculated that D4vd and Celeste had a supposed “low-key" romantic relationship. This discovery left users shocked, considering the large age gap. JJ, a student at Hillgrove also stated, “I do feel like he killed that girl because of so much evidence, and that he was dating the girl.” explaining how there were evidence which suggested the correlation between the death and the relations of the suspect and victim. Asia Gambrell, also a student at Hillgrove High School, also stated, “She's a victim, they met online. That's exactly what happened.” suggesting regardless of what happened, it was still implied the two were in a suspected relationship.
While the case is still under investigation, users and fans continue to discuss theories and take online investigations into their own hands. Although conclusions and official statements have not been made yet, it is certain the case has so far left an impact on the media and its users.