Los Angeles law enforcement authorities have initiated a homicide investigation following the discovery of a severely decomposed female body in the front trunk of a Tesla. The vehicle was found at an impound lot in Hollywood after workers reported a foul odor emanating from it. This grim discovery has drawn significant public attention due to the vehicle’s registration to 20-year-old musician David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd.
The incident unfolded on Monday, September 8, 2025, when police responded to a call at the Hollywood Tow facility on Mansfield Avenue. What began as a report of an unusual smell quickly escalated into a complex death investigation, with detectives facing immediate challenges posed by the advanced state of the human remains. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office is now working to identify the victim and determine the cause and manner of death.
This article provides an in-depth look at the initial events surrounding this shocking discovery, detailing the circumstances of the finding, the specifics of the vehicle and the victim, and the immediate investigative steps taken by law enforcement. It aims to present a factual account of the unfolding situation, relying exclusively on information provided by police and medical examiner sources. The case remains in its early stages, with many questions yet to be answered as investigators piece together the timeline of events.
1. **The Initial Report: Foul Odor at the Impound Lot**On Monday afternoon, September 8, 2025, an unsettling report emerged from an impound lot in Hollywood, California. Employees at Hollywood Tow on North Mansfield Avenue detected a foul odor originating from one of the vehicles stored on the premises. This report prompted a call to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Police officers responded to the tow yard shortly before 12:30 p.m. PT. The nature of the odor, described as “foul” and “putrid” by various sources, immediately suggested something gravely amiss. Such reports from tow yards are uncommon, signaling a deviation from routine operations and requiring immediate law enforcement attention.
The initial objective for the responding officers was to ascertain the source and nature of the strong smell. This step quickly led to the vehicle in question, setting the stage for the subsequent discovery. The identification of the source was the critical first step in what would rapidly become a significant criminal investigation.
2. **The Location: Hollywood Tow Yard on Mansfield Avenue**The discovery took place at the Hollywood Tow facility, situated on Mansfield Avenue in Hollywood. This commercial impound lot serves as a temporary holding area for vehicles that have been towed for various reasons, including abandonment or violations. The environment of a tow yard is typically one of logistical organization, not criminal investigation scenes.
The specific address on Mansfield Avenue became central to the early stages of the police response. Following the report of the odor, the lot quickly transformed into a secured crime scene. This transition necessitated the careful management of operations at the tow yard to preserve potential evidence and ensure investigator safety.
Vehicles arrive at such facilities through standard towing procedures. In this instance, the Tesla had been towed from a Hollywood street, a detail that later became crucial to establishing a timeline for its abandonment. The tow yard’s role was purely custodial until the discovery shifted its status to a primary location for a death investigation.
3. **The Vehicle: A Tesla Registered to David Anthony Burke, D4vd**The vehicle at the center of this investigation is a 2023 Tesla, distinguishable by its Texas license plates. Law enforcement sources confirmed that this electric vehicle is registered to David Anthony Burke, a 20-year-old musician widely known by his stage name, D4vd. The connection to a public figure immediately amplified the case’s profile.
Senior LAPD sources indicated that the Tesla is one of several vehicles owned by the musician. These sources also noted that multiple individuals routinely use D4vd’s vehicles at any given time. This detail suggests a broader scope for potential inquiries into who may have been operating the car prior to its abandonment.
The registration details provided investigators with an initial point of contact for the vehicle’s owner. While Burke’s legal ownership of the Tesla is established, the operational history and specific usage of the vehicle in the days leading up to the discovery are key areas for investigators to explore. This information helps to establish a chain of custody for the car.
Car Model Information: 2021 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus
NativeName: nobold
NativeNameLang: sr
Alt: Head-and-shoulder photograph of a slender man with dark hair and moustache, dark suit and white-collar shirt
Caption: [object Object]
BirthDate: [object Object]
BirthPlace: Smiljan, Croatia
DeathDate: [object Object]
DeathPlace: New York City
RestingPlace: Nikola Tesla Museum,Belgrade
Citizenship: ubl
AlmaMater: Graz University of Technology
Occupation: Engineer,futurist,inventor
Awards: ubil
Discipline: ubl
SignificantDesign: Induction motor
SignificantProjects: Wireless power transfer
SignificantAdvance: Polyphase system
Signature: Nikola Tesla signature 1900.svg
Categories: 1856 births, 1943 deaths, 19th-century American engineers, 19th-century Serbian engineers, 20th-century American engineers
Summary: Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was a Serbian-American engineer, futurist, and inventor. He is known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.
Born and raised in the Austrian Empire, Tesla first studied engineering and physics in the 1870s without receiving a degree. He then gained practical experience in the early 1880s working in telephony and at Continental Edison in the new electric power industry. In 1884, he immigrated to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen. He worked for a short time at the Edison Machine Works in New York City before he struck out on his own. With the help of partners to finance and market his ideas, Tesla set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices. His AC induction motor and related polyphase AC patents, licensed by Westinghouse Electric in 1888, earned him a considerable amount of money and became the cornerstone of the polyphase system, which that company eventually marketed.
Attempting to develop inventions he could patent and market, Tesla conducted a range of experiments with mechanical oscillators/generators, electrical discharge tubes, and early X-ray imaging. He also built a wirelessly controlled boat, one of the first ever exhibited. Tesla became well known as an inventor and demonstrated his achievements to celebrities and wealthy patrons at his lab, and was noted for his showmanship at public lectures. Throughout the 1890s, Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments in New York and Colorado Springs. In 1893, he made pronouncements on the possibility of wireless communication with his devices. Tesla tried to put these ideas to practical use in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project, an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter, but ran out of funding before he could complete it.
After Wardenclyffe, Tesla experimented with a series of inventions in the 1910s and 1920s with varying degrees of success. Having spent most of his money, Tesla lived in a series of New York hotels, leaving behind unpaid bills. He died in New York City in January 1943. Tesla’s work fell into relative obscurity following his death, until 1960, when the General Conference on Weights and Measures named the International System of Units (SI) measurement of magnetic flux density the tesla in his honor. There has been a resurgence in popular interest in Tesla since the 1990s. Time magazine included Tesla in their “100 Most Significant Figures in History” list.
Get more information about: Nikola Tesla
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4. **Discovery Details: Body Found in Front Trunk, Bagged**Upon closer inspection of the Tesla, authorities located human remains within the vehicle’s front trunk, often referred to as a “frunk.” The body was found contained within a bag, described as a plastic bag by some sources. This method of concealment added another layer of complexity and deliberate action to the discovery.
The state of the remains was immediately apparent. Police sources described the body as “decomposing” and “partially decomposed,” while other reports noted it as “severely decomposed” and “not intact,” with one initial description even referring to “a head and torso.” These details underscored the advanced stage of decomposition at the time of discovery.
The location of the body in the front trunk, a compartment not typically associated with human transport, raised immediate questions regarding the circumstances of the death and the subsequent placement of the remains. The presence of a bag further indicated an attempt at concealment, pointing towards a deliberate act rather than an accidental death within the vehicle.
5. **The Victim’s Description: Physical Attributes and Clothing**While the identity of the victim remains unconfirmed due to advanced decomposition, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office has released several descriptive details. The remains were positively identified as those of a female. Forensic examinations provided an approximate height of 5-foot-1 or 5-foot-2 and a weight of approximately 71 pounds.
Further physical characteristics noted included wavy black hair. Clothing worn by the victim consisted of a tube top and black leggings, specified as size small by the medical examiner. These items of apparel provide crucial contextual information for investigators, potentially aiding in eventual identification.
Jewelry found on the victim included a yellow metal bracelet, described as a chain bracelet by some sources, and metal stud earrings. A distinctive tattoo was also noted on her right index finger, bearing the inscription “Shhh…”. These specific details are vital pieces of evidence, offering potential leads for identifying the individual.
6. **State of Remains: Severe Decomposition and Identification Challenges**A significant challenge for investigators and the medical examiner is the severe state of decomposition of the body. Descriptions such as “severely decomposed,” “decomposing,” and evidence of “putrefaction” indicate that the body had undergone substantial decay. This condition has profoundly impacted the initial forensic processes.
Due to the advanced decomposition, the medical examiner’s office has been unable to determine the victim’s age, race, or ethnicity. These critical demographic identifiers are typically among the first pieces of information sought in a death investigation. Their absence complicates traditional identification methods, necessitating more advanced forensic techniques.
Preliminary assessments suggest the victim appears to have been deceased inside the vehicle for an “extended period of time” or “some time” before the discovery. This prolonged period in the vehicle, potentially exacerbated by the Southern California climate, accelerated the decomposition process. The condition of the remains adds significant complexity to determining the precise time and cause of death.
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7. **The Homicide Investigation: Early Stages and Assumptions**Authorities are currently treating the case as a homicide investigation. This preliminary designation reflects the suspicious nature of finding a severely decomposed body, bagged and concealed, in the front trunk of an abandoned vehicle. While the official manner of death will be determined by the coroner, the circumstances strongly point towards foul play.
The investigation is described as being in its very early stages, with law enforcement personnel diligently working to gather evidence and establish a comprehensive timeline of events. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office is central to this process, tasked with conducting a thorough autopsy to ascertain the cause and manner of death, which will provide critical guidance for detectives.
Investigators have stated their intent to interview the registered owner of the vehicle, David Anthony Burke, as well as any other individuals who may be connected to the case. This includes anyone known to have used the Tesla recently. The initial phase focuses on collecting all available information to construct a clear picture of the victim’s last known activities and the events leading up to the discovery of her body.
8. **The Registered Owner’s Connection: David Anthony Burke (D4vd)**The Tesla at the center of the Hollywood investigation is registered to David Anthony Burke, the 20-year-old musician professionally known as D4vd. Burke, a New York-born artist, has gained significant public recognition for his indie, R&B, and alt-pop sound, with hits like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me” amassing billions of streams on platforms like Spotify. He first rose to prominence after going viral on TikTok, where he maintains a substantial following of 3.6 million followers.
Senior LAPD sources confirmed that the 2023 Tesla is one of several vehicles owned by the musician. These sources also noted that Burke’s vehicles are routinely used by multiple individuals at any given time, suggesting a broader circle of potential drivers. This detail is relevant to the ongoing investigation as detectives seek to understand who may have been operating the vehicle in the period leading up to its abandonment and the discovery of the body.
Despite being in the midst of his Withered world tour, D4vd’s representatives have stated that he is “fully cooperating with authorities.” This cooperation is a crucial aspect of the police inquiry, as investigators intend to speak with the registered owner and anyone else connected to the case to piece together a comprehensive timeline of events. As of initial reports, Burke himself has not made any public statements regarding the incident.
9. **The Vehicle’s Abandonment: Origin in the Hollywood Hills**The 2023 Tesla, bearing Texas license plates, was not found directly at the impound lot but was towed there after being reported abandoned on a Hollywood street. Investigators stated the car had been abandoned approximately five days prior to the grim discovery. Specifically, police sources indicated the vehicle was towed from the “tony Bird Streets neighborhood” in the Hollywood Hills.
This area, known for its affluent residences, provides a specific geographic context for the vehicle’s initial abandonment. The reporting of an abandoned vehicle typically triggers a standard protocol for local authorities to remove it from public thoroughfares. This routine procedure inadvertently led the Tesla to the Hollywood Tow facility, where the decomposing body was later found.
The timeline of abandonment is a critical piece of the puzzle for investigators. Understanding where and when the car was left, and by whom, could offer significant clues regarding the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death. The five-day period between abandonment and the tow underscores the time frame within which the body remained concealed and decomposing before the eventual discovery.
10. **Impoundment and the Pre-Discovery Period**Following its abandonment in the Hollywood Hills, the Tesla was towed to the Hollywood Tow yard on Mansfield Avenue. This transfer occurred two days before employees at the facility reported the foul odor that led to the discovery of the human remains. This means the vehicle, with the body inside its front trunk, had been present at the impound lot for 48 hours before the alarm was raised.
The period the vehicle spent at the tow yard is significant for the investigation. While the immediate focus was on the discovery itself, the two days at the lot represent a critical window. It highlights the advanced state of decomposition required for the odor to become noticeable enough to prompt a police report from within a commercial facility, where various other vehicle-related smells might typically be present.
Law enforcement sources indicated the impounded Tesla had been at the tow yard for two days, a detail crucial for establishing the immediate chain of custody prior to the investigation. The fact that firefighters reportedly never checked inside the car, in the context of a separate, later-discovered incident, emphasizes the unlikelihood of the body being detected without the pronounced odor, underscoring the decomposition’s progression.
Car Model Information: 2021 Tesla Model Y Long Range
NativeName: nobold
NativeNameLang: sr
Alt: Head-and-shoulder photograph of a slender man with dark hair and moustache, dark suit and white-collar shirt
Caption: [object Object]
BirthDate: [object Object]
BirthPlace: Smiljan, Croatia
DeathDate: [object Object]
DeathPlace: New York City
RestingPlace: Nikola Tesla Museum,Belgrade
Citizenship: ubl
AlmaMater: Graz University of Technology
Occupation: Engineer,futurist,inventor
Awards: ubil
Discipline: ubl
SignificantDesign: Induction motor
SignificantProjects: Wireless power transfer
SignificantAdvance: Polyphase system
Signature: Nikola Tesla signature 1900.svg
Categories: 1856 births, 1943 deaths, 19th-century American engineers, 19th-century Serbian engineers, 20th-century American engineers
Summary: Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was a Serbian-American engineer, futurist, and inventor. He is known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.
Born and raised in the Austrian Empire, Tesla first studied engineering and physics in the 1870s without receiving a degree. He then gained practical experience in the early 1880s working in telephony and at Continental Edison in the new electric power industry. In 1884, he immigrated to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen. He worked for a short time at the Edison Machine Works in New York City before he struck out on his own. With the help of partners to finance and market his ideas, Tesla set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices. His AC induction motor and related polyphase AC patents, licensed by Westinghouse Electric in 1888, earned him a considerable amount of money and became the cornerstone of the polyphase system, which that company eventually marketed.
Attempting to develop inventions he could patent and market, Tesla conducted a range of experiments with mechanical oscillators/generators, electrical discharge tubes, and early X-ray imaging. He also built a wirelessly controlled boat, one of the first ever exhibited. Tesla became well known as an inventor and demonstrated his achievements to celebrities and wealthy patrons at his lab, and was noted for his showmanship at public lectures. Throughout the 1890s, Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments in New York and Colorado Springs. In 1893, he made pronouncements on the possibility of wireless communication with his devices. Tesla tried to put these ideas to practical use in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project, an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter, but ran out of funding before he could complete it.
After Wardenclyffe, Tesla experimented with a series of inventions in the 1910s and 1920s with varying degrees of success. Having spent most of his money, Tesla lived in a series of New York hotels, leaving behind unpaid bills. He died in New York City in January 1943. Tesla’s work fell into relative obscurity following his death, until 1960, when the General Conference on Weights and Measures named the International System of Units (SI) measurement of magnetic flux density the tesla in his honor. There has been a resurgence in popular interest in Tesla since the 1990s. Time magazine included Tesla in their “100 Most Significant Figures in History” list.
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11. **Medical Examiner’s Continued Efforts: Identification Techniques**The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office continues to play a central role in this complex investigation, facing significant challenges due to the severe state of decomposition of the female remains. While initial descriptive details such as approximate height, weight, hair color, and specific clothing and jewelry were released, the advanced decay has rendered traditional identification methods for age, race, and ethnicity unfeasible at this stage.
Forensic examinations are ongoing, with the medical examiner tasked with more than just physical description. Their work involves a thorough autopsy to gather all possible forensic evidence. This process is critical for aiding law enforcement in identifying the victim, which will likely require advanced techniques such as dental record comparisons or DNA analysis, although these specific methods were not detailed in initial reports. The distinct tattoo, “Shhh…” on the right index finger, is a vital piece of evidence for potential identification.
The medical examiner’s office has confirmed the victim appears to have been deceased inside the vehicle for an “extended period of time” or “some time” prior to being found. This estimation is a key factor in reconstructing the timeline of events leading to the death. The detailed work by forensic pathologists is essential for providing law enforcement with the necessary information to move forward with the homicide inquiry.
12. **The Coroner’s Determination: Cause and Manner of Death**While investigators are currently treating the case as a homicide, the official determination of the cause and manner of death rests with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office. The “cause of death” refers to the specific injury or disease that led to the death, while the “manner of death” classifies how the death occurred—typically as natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined.
Due to the advanced state of decomposition, the process for the coroner to make this definitive determination will take several days, as confirmed by senior LAPD sources. The condition of the remains complicates the ability to identify immediate signs of trauma or other factors contributing to death. This methodical approach is critical to ensuring accuracy and providing a solid foundation for any potential criminal prosecution.
The initial designation of the case as a homicide investigation reflects the suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery: a body found bagged and concealed in the front trunk of an abandoned vehicle. The medical examiner’s findings on the cause and manner of death will either confirm this assumption or provide new directions for the investigation, guiding detectives in their pursuit of justice.
13. **Separate Incident: The South Los Angeles Discovery**Adding to the week’s grim discoveries, the body of a second woman was found a day later, on Tuesday, in a separate tow yard in South Los Angeles. This discovery occurred after family members, who had filed a missing persons report, reportedly tracked the woman to a scorched Honda Civic being held at an impound lot on West Gage Avenue.
Upon the family members’ request to view the car, the tow yard operator contacted the Los Angeles Police Department. Investigators promptly responded to the scene and located the woman’s partially burned body within the trunk of the Honda Civic. This incident, while equally tragic, unfolded under distinct circumstances, beginning with a missing persons report and involving a vehicle that had experienced a fire.
Records indicate the scorched Honda Civic had been towed to the lot on Sunday from the 6800 block of South Flower Street. L.A. City Fire had extinguished the vehicle fire, but according to two sources familiar with the investigation, firefighters had not checked inside the car and therefore did not discover the woman’s remains at that time.
Car Model Information: 2023 Honda Civic Sport
Caption: 2024 Honda Civic liftback
Manufacturer: Honda
Aka: ubl
Production: 1972–present
Class: Subcompact car
BodyStyle: fastback,Sedan (automobile)
Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout,Front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout
Predecessor: Honda N600,Honda Z600
Categories: 1980s cars, 1990s cars, 2000s cars, 2010s cars, 2020s cars
Summary: The Honda Civic (Japanese: ホンダ・シビック, Hepburn: Honda Shibikku) is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1972. As of 2023, the Civic is positioned between the Honda Fit/City and Honda Accord in Honda’s global passenger car line-up. It is one of the best-selling automobiles in history, with over 27 million units sold through 2021.
The first-generation Civic was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door fastback sedan, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With a 1,169 cc transverse engine and front-wheel drive, the car provided good interior space despite its small overall dimensions. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Si, SiR, and Type R versions. It is currently in its eleventh generation, which has been produced since 2021.
The Civic has often been rebadged for international markets, and it served as the basis for the Honda CR-X, the Honda CR-X del Sol, the Concerto, the first generation Prelude, the Civic Shuttle (which later became the Orthia) and the CR-V (which in turn was used as the basis for the Honda FR-V).
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14. **Distinguishing the Two Cases: No Known Connection**Authorities have explicitly stated they do not believe the Hollywood Hills case, involving the Tesla registered to D4vd, is related to the South Los Angeles case. Police spokeswoman Jennifer Forkish confirmed, “At this point in the investigation there is no known connection between the two cases,” emphasizing the separate nature of these two disturbing discoveries within the same week.
The distinct circumstances surrounding each case reinforce this separation. The Hollywood discovery involved a body in a bag within a Tesla’s front trunk, towed after abandonment, while the South Los Angeles case featured a partially burned body in the trunk of a scorched Honda Civic, tracked by family members following a missing persons report. The differences in vehicle type, location of abandonment, and preceding events are notable.
Both deaths are currently being investigated as homicides by law enforcement sources. However, the lack of any perceived link between the two incidents means that investigators are pursuing two distinct and independent criminal inquiries. This dual focus underscores the ongoing challenges faced by Los Angeles law enforcement in addressing these separate, yet equally urgent, death investigations.
The unfolding details of these investigations paint a stark picture of the complexities inherent in forensic science and criminal inquiries. As authorities diligently work to identify the victims, determine the exact causes of death, and piece together the timelines, the public remains vigilant for answers. The commitment to uncovering the truth in both the Hollywood Hills and South Los Angeles cases underscores the unwavering dedication of law enforcement to ensure justice for the deceased.
