Former Prosecutor on D4vd Decomposed Body Won't Derail Murder Case

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UNUSUAL METHODS, PERFECT EXECUTION

A former homicide prosecutor in California says the severe decomposition of Celeste Rivas' body shouldn't be a huge hurdle in the murder case against D4vd.

Matt Murphy, who prosecuted murder cases for 2 decades down in Orange County, joined us Friday on "TMZ Live," and -- based on that experience -- added his 2 cents on D4vd's arrest.

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IN POLICE CUSTODY

The critical piece of evidence is Celeste's manner of death ... and a high-ranking LAPD source told us the L.A. County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.

D4vd's arrest Thursday came 7 months after Celeste's chopped up and decomposing body was found in the trunk of his Tesla ... and a source connected to the M.E. previously told us they had trouble determining the manner of death because of the state of the body when it was found.

D4vd Arrest M.E. Ruled Celeste Rivas's Death 'Homicide'

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A critical piece of evidence in the D4vd murder case is what caused Celeste Rivas's death ... and a high-ranking LAPD source tells TMZ ... the L.A. County Medical Examiner has ruled her death a homicide.

The Medical Examiner had trouble determining the manner of death because of the decomposition of her body when it was found last September ... a source connected to the M.E. had told TMZ.

Dylan Sprouse Tackles Trespasser At His Home

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Dylan Sprouse sprang into action when an alleged trespasser found himself on his Hollywood Hills property early Friday morning, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... they got a 911 call from Dylan's wife, Barbara, around 12:30 AM Friday morning, saying there was an attempted burglary at their home. Our sources say Dylan confronted the alleged intruder and held him down until the cops showed.

A source close to Dylan tells TMZ ... the actor is OK, but obviously very shaken up. What's worse, we hear this is not the first time someone has tried to get into the couple's home uninvited.

Ex-MLB Star Garret Anderson Dead At 53 ... After Medical Emergency

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Longtime Angels star Garret Anderson -- the franchise's all-time hits leader -- tragically died on Thursday ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told the 53-year-old had a medical emergency at his home in Newport Beach, CA ... and dispatch audio details an unconscious male amid the request for service.

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Anderson, born and raised in Los Angeles, was drafted by the Angels in 1990 ... and went on to play for the big league club from 1994 to 2008, becoming one of the greatest players in franchise history.

Garret had a ton of personal as well as team success in Anaheim ... making three All-Star teams and winning a World Series in 2002. He also won the Silver Slugger Award twice, in 2002 and 2003.

Meghan Trainor Hitting Reset!!! Sells L.A. Mansion Amid Tour Cancellation

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Meghan Trainor is turning the page on a major chapter ... 'cause TMZ has learned she sold her Los Angeles area home the same day she pulled the plug on her upcoming tour.

Real estate sources tell us the Encino compound closed Thursday for $6,835,000, moving quickly after hitting the market just about a week ago. The gated estate offers a private retreat tucked behind tall hedges.

The property is expansive ... featuring 7 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and roughly 14,164 square feet of living space, all set on about 1.09 acres.

D4vd Arrest What Do You Mean He Was Living Next to Me?!?

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D4vd is in jail after being arrested for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas ... and neighbors of the Hollywood Hills home where he was popped are shocked for multiple reasons.

We broke the news ... The 21-year-old singer was booked into the LAPD 77th Street Station Jail late Thursday after detectives arrested him on suspicion of murdering the teen. D4vd -- born David Anthony Burke -- is being held without bail.

Neighbors who live on the same street -- not far from the famed Chateau Marmont -- told TMZ ... they didn't even know D4vd lived among them when the home he was staying in was swarmed by police.

Sexyy Red Rings in 28 with Wild Coachella Blowout!!!

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One thing about Sexyy Red -- she rolls deep ... and her squad showed all the way up to celebrate her 28th at Coachella Valley!

Peep the clip from the bash thrown by Memehouse and Capaholics Thursday night -- the turnout was stacked, with Swae Lee, Ty Dolla $ign, Kyle Massey, DDG, Deshae Frost, and more all pulling up.

And yeah ... it was exactly the kind of chaos you’d expect -- bling flashing, cash flying, and Sexyy front and center eating up every second.

Safe to say ... it was a Sexyy situation all around -- happy birthday, indeed!

D4vd Arrest Suggests Problems with Murder Case

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HERE'S THE PROBLEM...

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8:39 AM PT -- A law enforcement source tells TMZ ... this was an investigative grand jury and not one designed to indict anyone. But why did the LAPD say they were presenting the case to the D.A. on Monday if the D.A. was in charge of the grand jury investigation?

D4vd's arrest was dramatic for sure, but there's something underlying it that screams something is up with the prosecution's case ... it may not be as solid as people think.

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The LAPD arrested D4vd late Thursday and quickly put out a statement that they would present the case to the D.A. on Monday. Here's the thing ... the D.A.'s office already had the case ... they had it for months.

Deputy D.A. Beth Silverman has been presenting evidence to an L.A. County Grand Jury since November, and it seemed by all accounts this was more than an investigative grand jury ... it was a grand jury convened to indict D4vd for the alleged murder of Celeste Rivas. If the grand jury heard all this evidence, wouldn't it make sense for it to indict?

Jimmy Kimmel Up Close View of D4vd Arrest Scene

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LAPD's raid to arrest D4vd comes as a complete shock to the singer's Hollywood Hills neighbors, including Jimmy Kimmel, who ended up in the middle of the chaos ... TMZ has learned.

Jimmy wasn't stopping by to pat cops on the back ... instead, our sources say the late-night host was simply trying to get home. Jimmy cruised through around 8 PM, and although LAPD had blocked off the road leading to D4vd's rental home to investigate the property, they allowed locals like Jimmy -- who lives on that very block -- to drive through.

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TMZ also published video of the singer's arrest ... you can hear officers commanding him to surrender, and warning him not to run away. Soon after that, he walked out surrounded by a swarm of officers.

D4vd Sandra Bullock Ex-Owner of Arrest Home

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It's a small world, and Hollywood might be even smaller, 'cause D4vd was posting up at Sandra Bullock's former Hollywood home when he was arrested in connection to the death of Celeste Rivas ... TMZ has learned.

It's unclear how long the singer was laying low at the stunning 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom abode, but according to its Zillow page ... it was listed for rent at $17,500 a month in September 2025, and the listing was removed last month.

As you know, Celeste's decomposing body was found in a Tesla linked to D4vd at the beginning of September. By September 19, he canceled the remaining dates of his tour and basically went incognito ... not making any contact with his fans or public appearances.

Back to Sandra -- she lived in the 1942 bungalow beginning in 2001 when she bought it for a cool $1.48 million. She bought other properties afterward -- including an Orange County escape with ex-husband Jesse James -- but she kept her trusty Hollywood pad until she sold it in 2018 for $2.9 million.

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The 3,153 square-foot home offers high-end finishes, including a kitchen with designer finishes, and even a stunning pool and spa setup that offers gorgeous views over Los Angeles.

D4vd was living among some of the biggest stars in the house -- it's located just down the street from Jimmy Kimmel!

We showed you pictures of the luxurious home after D4vd was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department Thursday night ... and video that showed detectives surrounding the property long after the rapper was whisked away to jail, where he's being held without bail.

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HERE'S THE PROBLEM...

Our sources tell TMZ the robbery-homicide and gangs and narcotics divisions of the LAPD, plus its K9 unit, were all at the scene.

Interestingly, D4vd has not been indicted by the grand jury reviewing evidence ever since November ... but clearly, law enforcement officials believe they've got a strong case on their hands.

D4vd's lawyers slammed the development, telling TMZ ... "Let us be clear - the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death."

They went on ... "There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed."

D4vd Arrest Moment He's Taken Into Custody Caught on Video

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TMZ has obtained exclusive video showing singer D4vd being arrested for the murder of Celeste Rivas and the scene is intense.

In the footage, obtained by TMZ, law enforcement is seen taking D4vd into custody shortly after 5 PM Thursday in the Hollywood Hills, not far off the Sunset Strip.

The footage shows officers heavily armed, carrying guns, and some wearing tactical helmets and protective gear, underscoring just how seriously authorities were treating the arrest of the singer.

Alshon Jeffery Insurance Fraud Arrest Is Bogus ... Misunderstanding!!!

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Alshon Jeffery's insurance fraud arrest apparently stems from a fender bender earlier this year ... and the ex-NFL star is confident his name will be cleared once all the details surrounding the matter come to light.

TMZ Sports has obtained a statement from the 36-year-old's Super Bowl champ's rep, Denise White ... who said her client "categorically denies the allegations."

"The underlying incident was a minor freeway fender bender, and he provided his information at the scene," the statement read.

D4vd Quietly Scrubbed From Label's Site

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Singer D4vd didn't only get his freedom taken away last night, but also seemingly his label Interscope Records had pulled his page from the website completely.

On the artists page for Interscope, where all of their signed talent lives and is featured, D4vd's page is no longer visible or listed amongst the rest of the bunch.

Even when searched in a normal web browser for D4vd and Interscope Records together, the link to his page does appear ... however, when clicking on the link, it leads to a dead end. It's unclear when exactly Interscope removed him, but records show he was still listed on there as an artist at the end of February.

Kim Kardashian & Kris Jenner Wrote $7 Million Demand Letter to Ray J Over Sex Tape Deal

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Kim Kardashian and her mom, Kris Jenner, demanded Ray J pay them $7 million for breaching their secret 2023 deal over the infamous sex tape ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ obtained the legal letter, dated October 3, 2025, from Kim and Kris’ legal team to Ray J.

The letter claimed Ray J violated the deal, which had a non-disclosure clause provision barring the parties from talking about the sex tape or making false claims. But the docs don't stop there ...

D4vd Arrest Scene LAPD Detectives Buzz Around Singer's Rental Home After Arrest

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The Los Angeles Police Department had a busy night Thursday -- they arrested singer D4vd at a Los Angeles rental he was at ... and we've got more footage from the scene.

You can see the luxury home -- just a rock's throw away from the iconic Chateau Marmont -- is buzzing with members of the LAPD even after their colleagues whisked the rapper away to the clink. We're told detectives searched the home for over an hour.

Our sources tell us the robbery-homicide and gangs and narcotics divisions of the LAPD, plus its K9 unit, were present.

You can also see we got close-up photos of the rental home, which still has a "For Lease" sign in its front yard. It might look pretty average from the front, but the place has way more going on than meets the eye. It boasts 4 bedrooms and 3 baths across 3,000 square feet, plus an in-ground pool and hot tub surrounded by a stone patio.

D4vd Thrown Into The Slammer ... After Alleged Celeste Slaying

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D4vd has officially traded in his luxury Hollywood Hills home for an ugly jail cell.

The 21-year-old singer was booked into the LAPD 77th Street Station Jail at 10:12 PM Thursday after detectives arrested him on suspicion of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, according to authorities. D4vd is being held without bail.

Members of LAPD's elite robbery homicide unit showed up at D4vd's Hollywood abode Thursday afternoon and escorted him outside to police vehicles.