How the D4vd Freezer Rumor Started — And What Investigators Say Really Happened

Singer D4vd went from rising star to major headline when his name appeared in an investigation involving the tragic death of teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The case was already intense, but one rumor pushed it further.

The D4vd freezer rumor exploded after TMZ claimed a freezer in his rental home was big enough to store a body, but investigators and police say the story gaining traction online may not line up with what they actually found.

So what's really going on, and what are investigators focusing on in the homicide investigation? Let's take a look.

TMZ reported that officers searching a Hollywood Hills rental home leased by D4vd found a freezer large enough to store a human body. The outlet suggested the discovery could be relevant because Celeste had reportedly been frozen before being found.

The outlet noted that the home’s lease ended shortly after investigators located Celeste’s body in a Tesla tied to the singer. The timing created instant speculation online, with the freezer detail becoming the center of attention.

TMZ said, "We do not know if police have zeroed in on this freezer, but as we first reported, the body was partially frozen when it was found." But then went on to say the freezer was large enough to "store a body" and speculated how her remains may have been stored there for months.

TMZ tied the freezer to the case because they reported in an earlier article that "authorities believed her body had been frozen."

They reported "sources directly connected with the investigation" told them that "the medical examiner received the body in horrendous condition ... it was decapitated, and, while the torso was intact, the limbs had been removed and cut into multiple pieces."

According to the Daily Mail, the rental was searched as part of the investigation. Steve Fischer, a private investigator hired by D4vd's landlord to independently review the case, told the Daily Mail he uncovered "no evidence to suggest a violent crime had taken place at the rental home" but did previously note there were a series of "strange items that could be used to dispose of a body."

He said the freezer had shelves intact, and food and drink items that had "clearly been there for months."

He said he "tested key areas of interest in and around the home with Luminol and BlueStar [to look] for blood evidence and did not get any positive results."

Additionally, LAPD Captain and commanding officer of the Robbery-Homicide Division, Scot Williams, denied TMZ's claims in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.

“Celeste's body was not frozen. She was not decapitated. The whole frozen thing doesn't even make sense. Her body was in the car for weeks." Celeste was found in a Tesla linked to D4vd.

He continued, "Even if she had been frozen solid when she was put in the car (which there is NO evidence to suggest she was), five or more weeks in the trunk of a car in sweltering heat in the middle of summer would not have resulted in a partially frozen body being discovered on Sept. 8.”

Celeste was reported missing from her home on April 5, 2024, and her body was found in September when D4vd was on tour.

On Monday, Nov. 24, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner said the LAPD initiated a court order to place a security hold on the case.

“No records or details associated with the case, including the cause and manner of death and Medical Examiner report, can be released or posted on the website until further notice,” the medical examiner said.

They continued, "The Department understands the public’s interest in this case and remains committed to transparency when possible. Information will be made available once the court order is lifted."

D4vd was confirmed as a suspect in November, before the freezer story broke. Sources told PEOPLE he "has not been cooperative." The rental home where the freezer is located was searched in September, earlier that year.

The freezer rumor has captured public attention, but so far, it doesn’t match what investigators or police have shared. This rumor serves as a reminder not to believe everything you read online.