Nearly a Dozen Air Fresheners Found in D4vd’s Tesla with Decomposing Body, Some Covered in Maggots

A 𝓈𝒽𝓸𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 new detail has emerged in the murder case against singer D4vd: prosecutors say 11 air fresheners were found inside his Tesla, where the decomposing remains of a missing teen were allegedly stashed—some of them crawling with maggots.

During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, July 22, Los Angeles police criminalist Chelsea Murillo testified that she discovered the air fresheners scattered throughout the vehicle, with most located in the center console, rear seats, and the front trunk, or frunk. That’s where the body parts of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were allegedly found in two bags.

Murillo told the court she also spotted maggots and dead flies in the frunk, along with a thick layer of dust and a powerful odor. She described the smell as that of a decomposing body.

The vehicle was processed on September 9, 2025, one day after the remains were reportedly discovered.

D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is charged with murder, continuous sexual 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮 of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He was 20 at the time of the alleged crime.

Prosecutors claim the singer, now 21, killed the runaway from Lake Elsinore on April 23, 2025—just days before his debut album dropped. According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, he allegedly drove to Santa Barbara County right after the victim died to dump her belongings and destroy evidence. He is said to have returned home the next day and then went to a radio interview for his album release.

In earlier testimony, Los Angeles police detective Joshua Byers said investigators also found a so-called burn box behind a piano at Burke’s home during a September 2025 search. Described as a mini crematorium device, it’s used to reduce items to ash.

Celeste’s mother, Mercedes Martinez, broke down in tears during the hearing when her daughter’s passport photo was shown in court. The passport had been found by a road worker along a highway in Santa Barbara County back in January.

Gruesome images displayed in court showed severely decomposed limbs, as well as the teen’s head and torso inside a garbage bag.

As the preliminary hearing continues, one big question remains: what exactly happened in the days leading up to that tragic April day?