Los Angeles authorities have confirmed that the dismembered body discovered in an abandoned Tesla linked to rising music star D4vd belonged to a teenage girl, a revelation that has unsettled the public and the entertainment industry alike.
Officials said on Tuesday, September 16, that the remains, found rotting in the trunk of the vehicle, belonged to a female between 14 and 15 years old. Her name has not yet been released pending notification of her family.
Sources told ABC 7 that she stood 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighed just 71 pounds—approximately 20 pounds below the average for her age and height—and bore several identifying features, including wavy black hair, stud earrings, and a tattoo on her right index finger that read “Shhh…” She was dressed in a tube top, black leggings, and a yellow bracelet at the time her body was discovered.
Authorities revealed that the teen’s body had been wrapped in plastic and left locked in the car’s trunk for at least five days. The gruesome discovery was first made after residents in the neighborhood reported a foul odor emanating from the vehicle, which bore Texas license plates. By the time investigators opened the trunk, the remains were in such an advanced state of decomposition that the body was no longer intact.
The Tesla was later traced back to its registered owner, David Anthony Burke—better known by his stage name, D4vd—a 20-year-old singer and songwriter who has risen to fame with his viral hit singles and a fast-growing fanbase of over two million followers on Instagram.
At the time the body was discovered, Burke was on tour, preparing for a show in Minneapolis. He has since been questioned by investigators and, according to police sources, has been cooperating fully with the probe.
Still, the development has already taken a toll on his burgeoning career. In the days following the shocking revelation, fashion brands Crocs and Hollister—who had only just unveiled Burke as the face of their “Dream Drop” collaboration—announced that they were severing ties.
Campaign images featuring the artist were swiftly altered to exclude his face, signaling a rapid fallout as questions swirl around his possible connection to the case.
Investigators have not yet disclosed how or when the victim ended up in the Tesla, nor have they named any suspects. For now, authorities are working to notify the girl’s family while the cause of death and other forensic details remain under review.
Meanwhile, Burke continues his world tour under the cloud of controversy, as both fans and critics watch closely for new developments in what is shaping up to be one of the most disturbing celebrity-linked crime stories of the year.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Authorities confirmed that the dismembered body of a teenage girl was found in singer D4vd’s abandoned Tesla in California, a discovery that has sparked a criminal investigation and already dealt a major blow to the artist’s rising career.
