D4vd is said to be “fully cooperating” with the investigation into a dead body found in a Tesla registered to him earlier this month. As the investigation progresses, however, readers may be wondering why a suspect hasn’t yet been named.
On Sept. 8, Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to a tow yard after receiving a report of a “foul odor” coming from a vehicle on the lot. The car, a Tesla, was quickly revealed in regional reports to be registered to D4vd, who was on tour at the time. Weeks later, many questions still remain about what, exactly, led up to human remains being discovered inside the vehicle’s trunk.
The body was ultimately identified as that of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a candlelight vigil for whom was held this past weekend. As the investigation continues, with rampant social media speculation only adding to the pressure, you might be wondering why charges haven’t yet been filed.
Below, we take a closer look.
LAPD is looking into "several leads" as part of their investigation
“When that information is available, it will be provided,” an LAPD rep told Complex on Thursday, Sept. 25, when asked about the current status of the investigation. “Investigators are following up on several leads. Once additional information is available to share with the public it will be released by Media Relations Division.”
In a previous statement to Complex, an LAPD rep confirmed that detectives from its Robbery-Homicide Division had served a search warrant at a home in the Hollywood Hills area.
“Several items of evidence were recovered and will be analyzed by detectives in the coming days,” the rep said at the time, adding that the investigation remained “ongoing.”
In recent days, it was revealed that Rivas' body had been released to the family.
When reached for comment by Complex on Thursday, Sept. 25, a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office rep offered an update.
“The cause and manner of death have been deferred which means the deputy medical examiner completed an examination, but a cause of death has not been determined,” the rep told Complex. “The deputy medical examiner is requesting additional testing and/or studies in order to make a determination. Due to the ongoing death investigation, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner cannot disclose what testing and/or studies were requested. Deferred cases can take a few months before a cause of death is determined.”
Legal expert says police don’t “have the answers” just yet
“A lot of people are gonna be asking the very obvious question of why hasn’t D4vd been brought in, at least for questioning?” Brian Buckmore, a legal analyst and contributor to ABC News, said in a recent interview. “Law enforcement doesn’t have the answers they want in order to confront or question D4vd, especially without an autopsy report as to the cause and manner of death.”
D4vd hasn’t been charged with a crime
As of this writing, police hadn’t publicly confirmed a suspect in the case. D4vd, notably, has not been charged.
In terms of what’s needed for police to bring an individual in for questioning in a case, the circumstances can vary. In short, reasonable suspicion should be established, though a warrant is not required. While investigation-focused questioning typically has tighter expectations from the person being questioned, voluntary questioning technically means an interviewee is free to leave at a time of their choosing.