David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, had his house searched by police last week following the disappearance and subsequent death of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas.
Her body was discovered in a Tesla in Los Angeles earlier this month after people complained of a “foul odour” coming from the vehicle. The body, later identified as missing schoolgirl Celeste Rivas, was dismembered and decomposing in the front boot of the Tesla.
D4vd was said to be “fully cooperating” with authorities at the time, but his label has since axed the promotion of his music. Crocs and Hollister also removed advertising “with respect.”
Few details about the investigation have been revealed by authorities, which has left the internet picking apart D4vd’s lyrics, music videos, and social media activity. The most recent focus seems to be an interview where D4vd detailed his murderous alter ego. His name translates to “pain.”
D4vd talked about his alter ego, and he used it in a song
Back in May, D4vd sat down with Mahogany to talk about his viral hits, his background, and the “alter ego who’s still pulling strings behind every creative decision.”
Basically, the longtime Fortnite partner was, at one point, writing his own manga about an “agent of chaos” detective who solves the murders he also commits – It’s very Dexter. His name was Itami, which translates to “pain” in Japanese.
Hey guys we have officially named the blindfold character!
his name is itami (傷み) which means pain in Japanese
i have alot of cool ideas fully building out this story with you all!
(feel free to leave conspiracy theories)
the expansive d4vdverse is only getting started
pic.twitter.com/1atpl7ogi1
— d4vd (@d4vddd) February 24, 2023
“He’s basically an agent of chaos and kinda my alter ego. The story of the Manga went like – I was a detective and there was an evil version of myself that would come out at random moments,” he said.
“Kinda like ‘Fight Club’ with Tyler Durden. He would commit the crimes that I would have to solve afterwards as a detective. So as the detective, I’d be solving murders that I’m committing myself.”
Though he didn’t follow through with his anime, D4vd did incorporate elements of Itami in songs such as Romantic Homicide.
“I put that all on screen, and me and Itami had a great time just like chopping it up and getting to kind of merge creative ideas on the entire thing,” he said.
#WATCH
In an old interview, D4vd discusses a manga character as his alter-ego—
“SOLVING MURDERS THAT I’M COMMITTING MYSELF.” pic.twitter.com/aev008g8nG— JRP (@JoshRPosts) September 21, 2025
TMZ also noted the similarity with the singer’s Rehab music video, which was released on Celeste Rivas’ 13th birthday.
After cutting the arm off one female character, D4vd sings: “It’s too much for me to handle, handle / White rose petals, broken hearts and bloody sandals / Bodies stacked on top of another / Good undercover / Too bad for each other now.”
D4vd has not been named as an official suspect in the investigation.
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Featured image credit: Mahogany/YouTube and D4vd/Instagram
