In the quiet streets of Hollywood Hills, neighbors were left stunned this week as news emerged that rising TikTok star D4vd and his manager abruptly ended their $20,000-a-month lease.
The sudden move comes just days after police raided the property in connection with the tragic discovery of a missing teen’s dismembered body.
The home’s owner, Mladen Trifunovic, shared with the Daily Mail that the lease termination followed the raid, which police confirmed was tied to the disappearance and suspected murder of 13-year-old Celeste Rivas.
The Terrible Discovery That Sparked the Investigation
Rivas, who went missing in May 2024, was found in the front trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to D4vd—real name David Anthony Burke—on September 8.
The vehicle had been abandoned near Doheny Place and Bluebird Avenue, only blocks from the four-bedroom Hollywood Hills home where the 20-year-old singer had been staying under the management of Josh Marshall.
LAPD officers raided the house on September 17, seizing evidence, including a laptop, as part of their investigation into Rivas’s death. No charges have yet been filed.
Landlord Describes Shock and Confusion
Trifunovic, an AI developer and crypto investor, said he only learned about Burke living at the property when his real estate manager informed him of the raid.
He described both Marshall and Burke as “shocked” and said the manager immediately requested to end the lease and move out.
“They are moving out this week… the moving trucks will be here soon,” Trifunovic told the Daily Mail.
“They didn’t want to be there anymore. This has all been such a big shock. I’m still trying to process everything—it’s very disturbing.”
Questions Linger About the Investigation
Trifunovic has had no direct contact with LAPD and isn’t sure what was found inside the home or what tests were performed.
He also doesn’t know whether detectives plan to return to the $4.1 million property, once owned by actress Halle Berry.
Speaking on the ongoing investigation, Trifunovic expressed his hope that answers would soon emerge for Rivas’s loved ones.
“Like everyone else, I want to know who is responsible for this and how a little girl’s disappearance could slip through so many layers of responsibility.
Are more people responsible than the immediate ones? Who else is to blame?”
Community Mourns Tragic Loss
A vigil was held outside Rivas’s family home, where mourners lit candles and remembered the teen as “bright and bubbly.”
Her remains were discovered at a Hollywood tow yard, wrapped in plastic, just a day after her 15th birthday.
The LAPD described her remains as severely decomposed, indicating she had likely died while still 14.
Unclear Relationship Between Burke and Rivas
Details about Burke’s connection to Rivas remain under investigation.
Social media images have circulated, allegedly showing the pair together.
Sources suggest the TikTok star may have had an underage relationship with Rivas, possibly starting when she was just 12.
Rivas’s brother Matthew told the Daily Mail that the family was aware of the relationship.
He recounted that she left home to see a movie with Burke in May 2024 and never returned, often being picked up in the same Tesla where her body was later found.
Friends indicated that Rivas continued communicating with them for over a year after she went missing, but contact abruptly ended in late July or early August.
Burke’s Public Silence and Legal Representation
Burke has not publicly commented on Rivas’s death.
His representatives previously stated that he was cooperating with investigators, and he has since retained top Hollywood attorney Blair Berk, known for representing high-profile clients such as Prince Andrew and Kanye West.
No charges or persons of interest have been publicly named.
Career Impacts and Dark Imagery in Music
The scandal has also affected Burke’s professional life.
He quietly canceled the remainder of his Withered World Tour, which had included UK, Europe, and Australia dates.
The tour was noted for its dark themes of death and remembrance, with fans encountering symbolic displays, including a casket and a guestbook to pay condolences to Burke’s alter ego, ITAMI.
His official merchandise, featuring blood-streaked “Custom ITAMI Bloody Shirts,” was removed from sale shortly after the news broke, and Interscope Records announced that his deluxe album release is indefinitely postponed.
Remembering Celeste Rivas
Family and friends continue to grieve Rivas’s death.
A GoFundMe page seeking donations for her funeral described her as a “beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend” and highlighted the family’s heartbreak over the tragic loss.