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Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary

Break the Case: Celeste Rivas’ Tragic Fate and the Hunt for Proof

Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary

True Crime Today

True Crime, News Commentary, News

3.3907 Ratings

🗓️ 30 September 2025

⏱️ 105 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Break the Case: Celeste Rivas’ Tragic Fate and the Hunt for Proof
A shocking true crime mystery is unfolding in California: the tragic death of 13-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was discovered on September 8, 2024 in the frunk—the small front trunk—of a Tesla. In this gripping episode of “Break the Case” with former FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, the panel digs deep into the evidence, the unanswered questions, and the frustratingly slow pace of justice.

Coffindaffer is joined by Dan from the Drunk Turkey Show, a former Texas law-enforcement officer, and veteran attorney Philip Dubey, who has worked on both sides of the courtroom in Los Angeles. Together, they examine why, despite disturbing circumstantial evidence linking a man named D4vd to Celeste, no charges have yet been filed.

The conversation begins with the heartbreaking backstory of Celeste—a bright but troubled teen who reportedly ran away several times earlier in the year. Questions swirl around her relationship with D4vd, a much older man whose song lyrics, artwork, and even an AI-styled image depicting a body dragged to a trunk have raised eyebrows. The panel dissects how these artistic expressions could serve as circumstantial evidence and what investigators still need to prove in court.

Coffindaffer even conducted her own home reenactment to demonstrate just how small the Tesla frunk is and how difficult it would be for one person to maneuver a body inside—suggesting the possibility of additional parties being involved. Attorney Dubey offers an insider’s view on the legal hurdles prosecutors face, including California’s corpus delicti rule, and why forensic evidence—such as signs of pregnancy or DNA—may be the key to unlocking charges that could hold up at trial.

This episode blends true-crime reporting with on-scene demonstrations and expert legal insight, painting a chilling yet informative picture of a case that has gripped the public. Viewers will come away with a deeper understanding of why some investigations take time, the power of circumstantial evidence, and the many hurdles between suspicion and conviction in high-profile homicide cases.

#CelesteRivas #TeslaFrunk #JenniferCoffindaffer #TrueCrimeNews #MissingTeenCase #RomanticHomicide #CaliforniaCrime #BreakTheCase #JusticeForCeleste #TrueCrimeCommunity #D4vd

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Transcript

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0:00.0

The weather. Tomorrow, expect a biting cold front. Hmm, how naughty. I wonder what I'll be

0:06.8

wearing or taking off. The night will be wild and untamed. Expect heavy, lashing rain

0:13.0

that'll soak you to the skin. By Monday, temperatures will rise slowly but surely reaching

0:18.7

their peak in the afternoon.

0:23.0

Not in the mood for miserable weather.

0:25.8

Fly cheaply to Turkey with Sun Express.

0:28.7

Sun Express, nonstop sunshine.

0:33.0

Hey there, true crime podcast fans.

0:35.5

It's Patrick and Jillian from True Crime Obsessed.

0:54.9

Each week on TCO, we recap a true crime documentary everyone's talking about, and we do it with hearts, sass, and just the right amount of humor. So if you like the kind of podcast where two good friends chat about a case in a thoughtful way that centers the victims, you really got to check us out. Yeah, we cover the well-known cases that you hear about in the news and the underreported cases that desperately need more attention.

0:59.2

For almost nine years, we've been one of the most popular true crime podcasts out there.

1:08.0

We have over 30,000 five-star reviews on Apple Podcasts, and our brand-new YouTube channel has over 50,000 subscribers watching our full-length video episodes, too.

1:10.8

So find and subscribe, True Crime Obsessed wherever you get your podcasts. The weather. Tomorrow, expect a biting cold front. Mmm, how naughty. I wonder what

1:20.7

I'll be wearing or taking off. The night will be wild and untamed. Expect heavy, lashing rain

1:27.1

that'll soak you to the skin.

1:29.3

By Monday, temperatures will rise slowly but surely reaching their peak in the afternoon.

1:35.4

Not in the mood for miserable weather?

1:37.6

Fly cheaply to Turkey with Sun Express.

1:40.4

Sun Express, non-stop sunshine.

1:45.3

Hey there, true crime podcast fans, it's Patrick and Jillian from True Crime Obsessed.

1:49.8

Each week on TCO, we recap a true crime documentary everyone's talking about,

1:53.8

and we do it with hearts, sass, and just the right amount of humor.

...

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