Los Angeles — In a chilling development in the case of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, investigators say they have identified afreezer in a rental home once occupied by singer D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke) that may have been used to store her body for an extended period before her remains were found. Law enforcement sources indicate that forensic evidence points to a possible off-site preservation strategy, raising serious questions about premeditation and concealment.

Discovery of the Freezer and the Victim’s Remains

Celeste’s decomposed body was discovered earlier in September 2025 inside the front trunk (or “frunk”) of a black Tesla registered to D4vd. According to reports, tow-yard workers alerted authorities after noticing a foul odor emanating from the impounded vehicle.

However, the case took a shocking turn when sources revealed that her remains were partially frozen, suggesting that she may have been stored at sub-zero temperatures before being placed in the car.

Investigators later executed a search warrant at the rental house D4vd had occupied in the Hollywood Hills. Photographs obtained via TMZ show a tall, narrow KitchenAid refrigerator/freezer unit in the kitchen — one that, according to experts, could potentially hold a human body if its shelves were removed.

Forensic Implications: Why Freezing Matters

Freezing a body can drastically complicate forensic analysis. According to forensic pathologists and investigators:

Tissue Degradation and DNA Damage: Repeated freezing and thawing can degrade cellular structures, fragment DNA, and alter biological markers, potentially erasing or obscuring crucial forensic evidence.

Toxicology Challenges: If a body is frozen, it may be difficult or even impossible to detect certain toxins or signs of poisoning, because the chemical processes in tissues can be disrupted.

Uncertain Manner of Death: Because the freezing interferes with standard post-mortem assessments, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has reportedly deferred making a determination on both the cause and manner of death for Ms. Rivas.

Chain of Custody Questions: Detectives are now grappling with when, where, and by whom the body was frozen. Was she frozen in the rental home? Was she thawed before being moved? These gaps raise serious evidentiary questions.

LAPD’s Position and Legal Status

Despite the disturbing forensic findings, the LAPD has publicly stated thatno definitive evidence of murder has yet been established.As of now, D4vd has been named as a suspect in the case, but no formal charges related to homicide have been filed.

The department says that body concealment is the primary crime under review, not necessarily murder, pending further forensic and investigative developments.

Why Investigators Are Focusing on the Freezer

The discovery of the freezer in D4vd’s former home has become a central piece of the investigation for several reasons:

Capacity: The freezer’s dimensions (~74 inches tall, 14 inches wide, and 27 inches deep) align with what would be minimally required to store human remains, especially if shelving were removed.

Temperature: Reports suggest that the appliance could reach temperatures as low as –8 °F, which would be sufficient to freeze biological tissues for a long duration.

Connection to Decomposition State: Given that Celeste’s body was partially frozen when found, the freezer could explain how decomposition was slowed, which in turn could mask the true time of death.

Timing: Investigators are scrutinizing the lease and occupancy timeline of the rental property, exploring whether Celeste might have been stored there before being moved to the vehicle.

Potential Legal and Investigative Consequences

If investigators can conclusively link the freezer to the preservation of Celeste’s body, the implications could be grave:

Premeditation: The use of a freezer suggests foresight and planning, potentially constituting evidence of a premeditated action to hide or preserve the body.

Obstruction of Justice: Deliberately freezing a body to hide evidence or delay decomposition could be seen as an attempt to obstruct forensic investigation.

Homicide Charges: While currently not charged for murder, D4vd could face homicide-related charges if evidence supports that Celeste was killed and her body stored.

Forensic Testimony: Pathologists may testify on how the freezing impacted tissue and DNA, possibly affecting the legal evaluation of cause and manner of death.

Challenges and Open Questions

Despite these strong leads, there remain significant obstacles:

The medical examiner may never be able to definitively determine what killed Celeste if the freezing destroyed critical evidence.

Establishing a clear chain of custody for the body — identifying when and where she was frozen — is proving difficult.

Credible cooperation is uncertain: The suspect, D4vd, has reportedly not fully cooperated with investigators.

The legal classification of the crime is under debate: as of now, LAPD frames it as body concealment, not homicide.

Public Reaction and Awareness

The investigation has sparked widespread public interest and social media discussion. Redditors, true crime analysts, and concerned citizens have raised numerous theories — including speculation that Celeste was kept in a different location (such as a freezer) before being moved to the Tesla.

Some have even questioned whether the freezing occurred at the rental home or elsewhere, and whether surveillance footage, lease records, or witness testimony could clarify the timeline. Meanwhile, the family’s calls for transparency and justice continue, with many demanding more public updates from the LAPD and forensic teams.

Conclusion

The discovery of a body-sized freezer in D4vd’s rental home raises deeply troubling possibilities in the case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Forensic indicators strongly suggest that her body had been frozen prior to being placed in the Tesla, potentially as part of a deliberate effort to conceal evidence. While the LAPD has not yet officially labeled the case as murder, the investigation is intensifying, with both legal and forensic stakes mounting. As authorities continue to piece together the timeline and reconstruct the chain of custody, the public watches closely, hopeful for accountability and clarity in this heartbreaking tragedy.