Missing Lake Elsinore Girl's Cause Of Death Still Under Investigation. Here's Why

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — It's been nearly two months since Celeste Rivas Hernandez's decomposing body was found inside the trunk of a Tesla in Hollywood. And as of Wednesday, her death is still listed as "deferred" by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office.

While this might come as a surprise, toxicology reports can take four to six months to complete, according to a legal analyst at KTLA.

“The results are crucial to investigators, as a toxicology report can reveal whether there was poisoning, an overdose, or incapacitation. If the victim was intoxicated on the night of death, a toxicology report can show a timeline of when substances were last ingested. So the investigation is essentially dependent on the findings of the autopsy report,” Triessl told the station.

According to the Medical Examiner's office, the case is pending further investigation.

Celeste, 14, was reported missing from Lake Elsinore in April 2024. Her remains were found on Sept. 8, a day after what would have been her 15th birthday. It was not immediately clear how old she was when she died, or what her actual cause of death was, as official reports have not yet been released.

Meanwhile, authorities have officially identified singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke) as a suspect. Hernandez's body was found in the front trunk of a car registered to the performer. His Telsa had been abandoned near a home in the 1300 block of Doheny Place, not far from a home D4vd had rented.

D4vd was in the last leg of a U.S. tour when Celeste's body was discovered, prompting him to cancel several shows.

Law enforcement sources told NBC Los Angeles that he had been identified as a suspect. No arrests have been made.

The source told NBC LA that Burke has not been cooperative in the investigation. The source said Celeste's death likely occurred in the spring and Burke likely had help in dismembering and disposing of her body, NBC LA reported.

The teenager's body was ultimately identified by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, though the manner of her death remains a mystery. Her "head and torso" were found inside a bag in the trunk, the Los Angeles Times reported. Her body was so severely decomposed that authorities were unable to determine her age or ethnicity at the time. The condition of severely decomposed bodies makes it challenging for investigators to identify the cause of death.

According to various reports, his label, Interscope Records, has halted all promotion of Burke's latest record, "Withered."

READ MORE:

• Singer D4vd Is Suspect In Death Of Lake Elsinore Girl Found Dismembered In His Tesla: Reports
• Teen Whose Body Was Found In Singer's Car, Remembered 1 Year After Reported Missing