A candlelight vigil for Celeste Rivas Hernandez was held in Lake Elsinore, California this weekend as questions remain about the 15-year-old’s death.
As reported earlier this month, the teen’s body was found in the trunk of a towed Tesla registered to d4vd, previously said to be “fully cooperating” with the ongoing investigation. Last week, a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) rep confirmed to Complex that investigators were “following up on several leads,” though a suspect in the case still hadn’t been publicly announced as of this writing.
Sunday, Sept. 21, mourners gathered in Lake Elsinore, with footage from the scene of the memorial showing handmade signs and flowers in tribute to the teen, who is said to have been missing for over a year. One attendee, interviewed by KABC-TV, said she was “heartbroken” and “devastated” by Celeste’s death.
“If it was my daughter, I wouldn’t her to be forgotten,” another attendee who said her nephew went to school with Celeste told KTLA at Sunday night’s vigil. “I just want justice for this girl.”
“On September 17, 2025, detectives from Robbery-Homicide Division served a search warrant on the 1300 block of Doheny Place in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez,” an LAPD rep told Complex last week. “Several items of evidence were recovered and will be analyzed by detectives in the coming days. This is an ongoing investigation. Investigators are following up on several leads.”
Complex has reached out to LAPD reps for an update on the investigation. In a previous statement, the department confirmed its officers had responded to a tow yard on Sept. 8 after reports of “a foul odor coming from a vehicle,” leading to the discovery of human remains.
The body, said by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner to be “severely decomposed,” was later identified as Celeste. As of this writing, the medical examiner’s office listed the body as “ready for release,” which likely means a cause of death has been determined. However, no announcement has been made.
For a closer look at what's known amid the ongoing investigation, see here.
