K-pop artists and domestic fans may be familiar with U.S. singer-songwriter D4vd (David·20), and local reports say he has come under police investigation in connection with the death of a teenage girl.
U.S. entertainment outlet TMZ reported on the 18th (local time) that the LAPD investigation team is viewing D4vd as a 'suspect' in the case of 15-year-old Celeste Ribas, who was found in a severely decomposed state in the front trunk of a Tesla.
According to TMZ, the cause of death has not yet been determined by the coroner. Official records do not list D4vd as formally designated a 'suspect,' and the LAPD likewise drew a line, saying, "an arrest is not imminent."
Nevertheless, investigators are reportedly focusing their probe on the possibility of 'homicide.'
On Sept. 8, a foul odor was reported at a vehicle impound lot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, and upon inspection a badly damaged female body was found in a Tesla owned by D4vd. The Los Angeles County coroner officially confirmed that the body was Celeste Ribas, who had gone missing in April last year.
Since then, online suspicions about the relationship between the two have spread rapidly. Witness accounts that Celeste had been at a party attended by D4vd while alive, the family's claim that "their daughter's boyfriend's name was 'David'," and allegations that the two had the same "Shhh..." tattoo were reexamined.
Also, an unreleased demo titled 'Celeste' leaked to SoundCloud in 2023, further increasing curiosity about the nature of their relationship.
Investigators recently searched the rental house in Hollywood Hills where D4vd had been living to check for bloodstains and electronic device records.
D4vd canceled his U.S., European and U.K. tour dates following the incident and has halted his social media activity.
D4vd built a global fandom with "Romantic Homicide" and "Here With Me," and in June he released the collaboration "Always Love" with Stray Kids' Hyunjin, which drew significant attention from K-pop fans.
The LAPD said "it is still too early to determine whether additional arrests will be made," and the exact cause of death and circumstances of the case are expected to emerge following toxicology and digital forensic results.
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