AS she partied at Coachella with her friends, Brit TikToker Madeline Argy was living the dream.
But while most of LA were watching Justin Bieber perform in Indio, Madeline’s former pal, the singer , was being arrested and with the murder of a teenage girl who vanished a year ago. It means that the 25-year-old social media star has been forced to face reality, with insiders revealing her fears that it could end her career.
David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, has been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Credit: Reuters
Madeline has been partying in Coachella while the drama unfolded Credit: Instagram
Madeline’s career is thriving – she is in a new music video for Sombr Credit: Instagram
Last night D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing, murdering and mutilating the body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed remains were found in his abandoned Tesla seven months ago after she was reported missing by her parents.
An insider explained: “Madeline met and hung out with D4vd last year – they had the same friendship group of online creators, but she moved on from them as her career rose.
“She has never publicly acknowledged what happened to the girl who went missing and has tried really hard to make sure it’s business as usual.
“D4vd being arrested and charged is really hard on her and anyone who knows him. It’s all been a terrible shock, and she is terrified it will derail her career, which is soaring.”
In fact, Maddy has just wrapped filming a music video with pop’s hottest property Sombr, but she is well-known from her popular podcast, Pretty Lonesome.
She was first linked to D4vd last year after her split from on-off boyfriend Brit rapper .
She was living in LA and was part of the city’s thriving influencer scene, which includes music stars and streamers.
The pair hung out over the summer and quickly became pals.
Madeline had filmed a birthday vlog, which showed her getting a PS5 from the singer, but she later deleted the video following his arrest.
Their friendship group, which included fellow Tarayummy (real name Tara Mirshokraei), Jake Webber and Neo Langston, has since dispersed, according to the source. Neo was also arrested for failing to appear as a witness.
It has since emerged that Celeste and D4vd had been in a relationship which started when Celeste was 13 and D4vd was 18, .
She had gone missing from the family home and was last seen in April 2024 in Lake Elsinore – around 69 miles from Los Angeles. It was more than a year before her decomposing body was discovered.
D4vd and the teen are said to have had matching tattoos that said Shhh on their right index fingers, and the music star also in a leaked track.
In another chilling twist, D4vd’s best-known track is called Romantic Homicide. Last year, he released a song called One More Dance and a video in which he played both a killer and a victim.
He gained a following by playing video games, and then started releasing music that went viral on .
The star shared pictures from her trip and did not address the singer’s arrest Credit: Instagram
This time last year D4vd was performing at Coachella Music Festival – this year, he was getting arrested Credit: Alamy
D4vd pleaded not guilty Credit: Reuters
The teen’s body was found months after she disappeared
The if found guilty of luring Celeste Rivas Hernandez to his home in April 2025, where he , before mutilating her body two weeks later and dumping it in bags inside his Tesla.
Celeste’s dismembered corpse was not found until seven months later when workers at a Hollywood tow yard were alerted to a rotting smell coming from the trunk of the abandoned car.
‘First degree murder’
D4vd was charged with first-degree murder on Monday, – and following a mostly secret investigation into the case using a grand jury.
He appeared in court for the first time on Monday afternoon, denying all the claims and demanding a preliminary hearing to see what evidence cops have within 10 days.
Our insider previously revealed the toll the situation had taken on Maddy, and those close to her were worried about her life in the often murky world of LA.
She’s a very normal girl who suddenly ended up very famous and has been thrown in the deep end in LA.
Concerned pal
They explained: “The whole situation really affected her [Maddy] and forced her to question the people around her.
“She’s a very normal girl who suddenly ended up very famous and has been thrown in the deep end in LA.
“Her romance with Central Cee was stress-inducing enough, but she’s continued to mix in some interesting circles.
“Her mum is understandably terrified about it all. She’s very well known herself, but for something very different. She just wants her daughter to be happy and safe.”
Madeline was born in West Sussex. Her parents split when she was young, and she was brought up by her mum, Michaelina “Mikey” Argy.
Her mum is a force of nature – a thalidomide survivor and activist, who has appeared in the media herself from time to time.
Madeline is said to be horrified by the whole thing but has been putting on a brave face Credit: Getty
Madeline is well known for her ‘toxic’ split from rapper Central Cee Credit: instagram.com/centralcee
She rose to fame on TikTok during the pandemic and is now a huge online star Credit: TikTok/madelineargy
It was when Maddy was at university in Canterbury, Kent, that she decided to start making content, while bored during lockdown.
In July 2022, she posted a simple video discussing the time her sister found a worm trapped in her leg, and from there, she went viral. She now has over 9million followers on TikTok.
It’s hardly any surprise she was so popular – here was a down-to-earth but incredibly pretty British girl, who happily showed you her very messy room, talked about her anxiety, and wore not a scratch of make-up – just a pimple patch.
A rocky romance with rapper
But it was her romance with British rapper Central Cee that really got people talking.
The pair began in 2022 and kept the details of their relationship private for the two years they were together.
In September 2024, Madeline shared more details about their relationship after they had broken up on Call Her Daddy podcast – revealing it had become toxic.
She said: “It was a lot of back and forth and like, kind of in a fun, toxic way when you’re like, oh God, this needs to end, but f— it, let’s go on one more trip together or let’s have one more night.”
And things certainly did turn toxic when he started working with the rapper , whose real name is Isis Naija Gaston.
Maddy later spoke about it all and revealed how betrayed she felt, explaining: “My ex-boyfriend kind of publicly violated me through the means of using me as a pawn in his PR stunt and also not informing me of his PR stunt, which was essentially to make it look like he’s sleeping with another girl.”
Our source said: “It was a real lesson for the TikTok star, a real baptism of fire in terms of fame.
“It’s never nice to be used, especially not in such a public forum.
Madeline appeared in a video with D4vd which was later deleted
“She has found LA a tricky place, though, and it’s incredibly hard to know who to trust.”
The situation with D4vd only further exasperated her feelings, and it looks like she has a long road ahead before the case is over.
‘Brutal and horrific murder’
On Monday morning, the Los Angeles District Attorney for the first time gave an idea as to D4vd’s alleged motive, claiming Celeste was a witness to his “lewd and lascivious sexual acts.”
On the night of April 23, 2025, Los Angeles DA Nathan Hochman now claims , where he carried out her “brutal and horrific murder.”
He confirmed his office is using the most serious charges that a DA’s office can bring – first-degree murder with special circumstances, meaning the death penalty is on the cards rather than just a life sentence.
The special circumstances include claims D4vd is guilty of murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait, according to the criminal complaint .
He is also charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating a body.
The , Jesus Rivas, previously spoke through their lawyer after D4vd’s arrest, saying, “Thank God…justice for Celeste.”
He added that the family was “committed to ensuring that Celeste’s voice is heard.”
Our source added: “Everyone is hoping this is wrapped up quickly, so Celeste’s family can start to heal and everyone, including Madeline, can move on.”
Timeline in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez
April 2024 – Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 13, is reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California.
August 5, 2025 – D4vd starts his Withered World Tour.
August 27: A traffic officer marks D4vd’s Tesla over an issue relating to its tires.
September 3: D4vd’s Tesla given a citation.
September 5– D4vd’s Tesla is towed to a Hollywood yard.
September 7 – Rivas turns 15 years old.
September 8 – The Los Angeles Police Department discovered a dismembered body wrapped in plastic in the trunk of D4vd’s impounded Tesla.
September 17 – The decomposing body is identified as Celeste Rivas.
September 18 – D4vd’s house is searched overnight and investigators take a computer and other evidence. D4vd continues his tour with a show in Seattle. Rivas’s family breaks their silence on their GoFundMe page.
September 19 – D4vd cancels the rest of his tour.
September 23 – Rivas’s body is released to her family. It’s revealed that D4vd and his manager have broken their lease and left the house that was raided in Hollywood.
October 6 – Rivas is buried in a private funeral ceremony in Rowland Heights, California.
April 16 – D4vd arrested on suspicion of murder and his lawyers vow to defend him.
April 20 – Charges are announced at a press conference in Los Angeles as Celeste’s family speaks out.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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