5 Major Updates in D4vd Investigation

I can tell you I've luminolled the. house. Uh I've done other testing at the. house and [music]. there's no nothing there that I would. say looks like this is a crime scene, a. violent crime [music] scene. But I can. tell you I have seen that document. It. is legit and uh it did say murder. [music]. >> As David is constantly in the news, especially now that it's being reported. that he may likely be indicted in. connection with the death of a teenage. girl apparently found in the trunk of a. car registered in his name. [music] We. are bringing back somebody who's been. looking into this case for quite some.

time. Somebody who has been on the. ground in LA. [music] Someone who has. been making news regarding his findings. We're talking about private investigator. [music] Steve Fiser. Not only will Steve. tell us what he has learned since the. last time we spoke to him, but he may. have now found the last known photo of. this deceased girl, Celeste Rivas. Hernandez. [music] Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law and Crime. I'm Jesse. Weber. Okay, before we get into this, it is the. new year and when you think about it,

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Hollywood Hills. This property that was. reportedly near where the Tesla was. found with 14-year-old Celeste Rivas. Hernandez body inside. that car was. allegedly registered to David, who by. the way has not been arrested. He has. not been charged at the time of this. recording. He's not been officially. implicated. But as we last reported, there is apparently a grand jury that. has been hearing evidence out in LA. And. according to TMZ, now it is being. reported that David will likely face.

murder charges. that this grand jury may. be handing down an indictment despite. previous reporting that the alleged. grand jury hearing the evidence was a. different kind of grand jury, one that. can't formally charge. So now it is. possible things may have changed and we. don't know for sure if there's a grand. jury. We don't know for sure if they. would come down with charges against. David or anybody else. And we don't know. for sure what those charges would be. So. we're just basing it on the reporting. Now, I will note it has also been. reported that the grand jury may be.

hearing evidence into next month as. well, so February. So maybe if all of. this is true, we won't even see an. indictment just yet. But look, as we are. on the lookout to see if David or anyone. else is arrested or charged in. connection with Celeste's death, I do. want to talk to Steve Fischer. I want to. talk to him about the latest. developments. There was a lot, including. when he posted something about a 55 lb. burn cage being delivered to that. property that David was seemingly. staying at, that a chainsaw was found.

But Steve also may have the last known. photograph of Celeste. Remember, she was. reported missing from her home in Lake. Elenor on April 5th, 2024. This is when. she was just 13 years old. However, there has been footage released of her. seemingly arguing with her family's. neighbors on September 8th, 2024. So, the timeline has always been. interesting. It's always been important. It has been confusing, especially since. it's believed that Celeste was in the. trunk of that Tesla for quite some time,

a couple months ago, that LAPD came out. with a statement that said in part, quote, "The vehicle had been parked at. the location from which it was towed for. several weeks. So, Miss Rivas Hernandez. may have been deceased for several weeks. before the discovery of her body." Now, to be clear, the cause and manner of. death for Celeste and the records. related to her from the ME's office, the. medical examiner's office, they are. currently sealed. And this is due to a. court order that was initiated by the. LAPD. Okay, so with all that in mind, time to bring back on Steve Fischer.

Steve, really good to see you. It's been. a minute since we've had you on. A lot. has been happening. Um, so first of all, where are you in your investigation? I. mean, since the last time we spoke, what. is there anything new you can tell us? I. mean, where are you right now in your. personal investigation? you know, so we continue to uh. investigate it and talk to new people. Just as of yesterday, uh we were. contacted by somebody that's actually. very ends up being very close to uh. David and had a relationship with him.

around that time, you know. So, we're. continuing to get new information to. learn more about, you know, those events. and who was around at that time and who. was living at the house and not living. at the house. So, it it continues, you. know, more people keep popping up that. weren't even on our radar. And just to. be clear, whatever information you're. gathering, is that something that you're. sharing uh with law enforcement, with. the DA's office, is there anything you. can tell us about what information. you're uh uh sharing with them as we're.

trying to understand what's happening. behind closed doors? >> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, anything that. we determines not just noise. I mean. obviously get a lot of you know people. calling you know with information that's. not relevant you know theories or remote. viewers and stuff but the people that. are tied yeah you know we pass that. right along to authorities to their. investigators you know they don't tell. us the outcome of what they follow up or. not but we do make absolutely make them. aware because this is not about. collecting information and getting it. out to the public first or not getting. or keeping it private. It's it's about.

justice for Celeste in the end. Right. So right. >> we we are definitely giving all the. information to authorities. >> Do you have any uh further insight into. where David is right now? >> I don't you know I I could just. speculate. I know that not long after. they canled the tour and this whole. thing came crashing down. I believe he. was in the LA area because when he. transferred those homes in Texas into a. trust those were notorized by an LA.

notary. So at time it appears he was in. LA. But whether he's in Texas or LA or. who knows where I would think that LAPD. probably has a good idea, but I don't. have any idea. And I'm shocked. One of. the biggest things in this whole case, I'm just amazed that he's kept such a. low profile and had that restraint to. not make any public statements or lash. out online. >> Yeah, I haven't heard anything from him. I haven't heard anything from his. reported attorney, Blair Burke, uh, regarding any of this. Before I get into. this photo of Celeste, which I think is. really important, um, when you hear TMZ.

reporting that a grand jury has been. assembled and they're now saying that it. is likely that he could be charged with. murder based on your investigation, would you say. that doesn't seem likely or do you say. uh, and I know you might be limited in. what you can reveal to us, but um, does. when you hear something like that, do. you say they seem seem far off. Um, they. might be on the right track. Um, I can't.

talk about it because that was a very. big headline. >> Sure. So, as far as murder goes itself. as a homicide, right? Um, I I do think. it's likely, and here's why, it has. nothing to do with if there may be grand. juries or not, when that rumor first. broke, which I believe was from the LA. Times. from a document that was filed to. seal the medical examiner's records that. was filed with LA courts. There was a. short window of time that that. [clears throat] filing itself was.

released by the clerk's office. And I. I'll tell you, I've seen the original. document and in the motion it uses the. word murder. So, that was a public. document at the time. Now, I know it's. been sealed, but it didn't say homicide. investigation. It actually said murder. So just based off that, not anything I. have found. I can tell you I've. luminalled the house. I've done other. testing at the house and there's no. nothing there that I would say it looks. like this is a crime scene, a violent. crime scene. But I can tell you I have.

seen that document. It is legit and uh. it did say murder. >> Yeah. So just assuming that for a. moment, right? What changed? The LAPD. came out at one point, I think it was. like two months ago, and said there. might not be anything beyond concealment. of a body. any idea what may have. changed to suggest that Celeste was. killed? >> Uh, the only thing I can I think about. this a lot too. Only thing I can think. of is that somebody flipped because if. they had all of a sudden run across some.

sort of biological evidence or some. crime scene, I think the charges would. have dropped pretty quick. But you're. right, they went from, hey, there might. not be any culpability beyond. concealment of a body, which is a. misdemeanor, to all of a sudden not just. homicide, but murder. And so something. changed there. And I think they would. have already charged if they had a. murder weapon or a scene or whatever. So. I think it's got to be based on. somebody's cooperating, you know, somebody cut a deal. >> and not just the findings from the ME's. office, which we don't know what they. are.

>> Yeah. And we don't know what they are. because they they sealed those. I do. think that um I know most people. speculate that it's undetermined. I. personally and I don't have any inside. information on this. I do believe that. they were able to make a determination. I know her remains were in very bad. shape, but if you go back to the death. certificate said that, you know, she. wasn't pregnant. Well, that means they. were able to get that hormone test or. they were able to inspect the internal. organs enough to determine that. So, the. fact that they were able to get that. means I think they were able to get a. good toxicology test. So, I do think.

that they probably made a determination. and and once they made that. determination is when LAPD went in and. got those petition to get that sealed on. the 21st, I think it was. >> Yeah. So, again, just trying to. understand what that change might have. been. Um, okay. So, I'll go back to that. in a second. I I have to talk about this. new photo uh of [clears throat] Celeste. that you apparently found. So, talk to. us about what this photo is, uh, where. you discovered it, and when was it. taken? Do you know? Yeah. So, it was taken uh January 2nd of.

2025. It was on a um a SD card, you. know, a memory card that goes into a. camera that was after they moved out of. the house that was left behind and it. had u I think about 1100 photos on it. Uh various things, only handful that. included Celeste. Um, and this was the. last that we had previously released one. that was I think on the 30th of December. of downtown presumably he took a. picture. This is a photo of the Baldwin. Hills Scenic Overlook which is kind of a.

hiking area in Culver City kind of in. the heart of Los Angeles and it's about. 5:05 p.m. January 2nd and a profile. photo of her. To me it's just very sad. She looks lost. She looks she looks like. a runaway to me and like a confused. runaway and I don't know, it just breaks. my heart to look at that picture, but I. do think it's important for the public. to see it, too, that she was, you know, she was alive and she's a real person. and we're talking about somebody that. really deserves justice. >> 100%. Do Do you know who took the photo?

>> I, you know, I assume it's by David. simply because it's his camera and then. there's pictures later that evening. where he's taking them into a mirror and. you can see that he's holding the camera. and whatnot. So, I assume it's him. But. then I will say that there's a couple. pictures immediately after that one of. her on the camera of him. So I think. that they were together and um just like. they were on the 30th and downtown. I I. think they had these little excursions. and um took a lot of photos in hiking. like hiking type of situations or out in.

the kind of foresty area. So. >> do how does that factor into the. timeline about what might have happened. to her? I mean, maybe it does, maybe it. doesn't because, you know, originally we. reported, right, she she had disappeared. in 2024 and then there was the sighting. of her with the neighbors. So, how does. this affect the timeline of. understanding when she died? >> Yeah. So, originally people were. thinking, well, you know, maybe she died. a week or so before she was found. And. and I originally had said, I think she. was in there for months. And now I know. LAPD saying they think possibly.

springtime. It sounds like reading. between the lines. I think it could be. as early as January. And I'm not saying. that day on January 2nd, but a couple. things happen on the timeline there. So, we got January 2nd, uh the photos of her. stop and his [clears throat] behavior, taking photos and and whatnot kind of. drastically changes around that time, too. But then also, the Tesla, the black. Tesla that she's in, stops really being. used and showing up. It used to used to. show up in a lot of Instagram reels and. photos and whatnot. And then it's being.

parked in different areas around the. neighborhood. And not too long ago, I I. spoke with an estate manager from a. house in the area and they told me that. they were talking about this smell and. it's the first I had heard from them. And she's like, you know, we had a dog, one of the dogs died and they buried it. in the backyard and it's a very large, you know, backyard, but the Tesla would. park in the area. And they said anytime. it get over about 70° or so, the. backyard would get this horrible smell. And they thought that they had not.

buried the dog deep enough. and they. were getting ready to unearth this dog. and rear it. But then the Tesla. disappeared. And when I asked when this. dog died, it was in February. And she. said it was a very distinct, you know, death smell. Now, now once the Tesla. disappeared in June, it got moved up to. Bluebird. All of a sudden, the smell. went away. So, I do think, you know, January then that happening in February, I do think, you know, January to March. is probably a sweet spot where something. could have happened. And also, they. lease a new Tesla on February 1. Oh,

that's interesting, too. Um, I know. that. What about Yeah. Yeah. If you can. >> When when the search warrant was served, we all of a sudden we saw on the news. there was a red Tesla being pulled out. of the garage and ran the um DMV on it. and it comes back to Rob Morgan's. manager and it was leased on February. 1st. So, all of a sudden, January Tesla. stops being used for some reason. February there's a new Tesla. this. horrible smell starts originating after,

you know, February. [snorts] So, you got to wonder, >> right? And by the way, I should also let. everybody know, if you haven't been. following our coverage, Morgan Roth. allegedly testified in front of this. grand jury as well, um, and said. something in allegedly said something in. the hallways being questioned by the. prosecutor about, you know, why he. didn't notify more about what was going. on. Let me ask you this. There there's. this conversation about and LAPD seemed. to confirm that David took this trip to. Santa Barbara, right? So, how would that.

factor into your timeline? >> I can't figure out what the purpose of. that trip would be to be honest with. you. I don't know if they were went. there to do something to her or to. started deceased and, you know, put her. in some other form. Why bring her back. again? Now, I will say that there's a. lot of photos on this camera in the. national forest, but not in Santa. Barbara. Not terribly far from there, within 75 miles or so. But I don't know. The Santa Barbara thing is really. confusing me. There seem to be this mass.

this total confusion of what to do with. her. I guess if they're making trips and. then chickening out, and this is what. baffles me of why there hasn't been an. arrest yet. Because if they're that. sloppy, they leave this girl in a Tesla. in a neighborhood, they can't figure out. how to get rid of her, then how do they. not have the evidence yet to be able to. drop some some charges because it's like. it's so sloppy. It seems like there's. got to be a ton of other evidence. because I know there's video stuff out. there. >> Well, you you went public and mentioned. the idea of this 55 lb burn cage being.

to [clears throat] that property that. David was apparently staying at, that. there was a chainsaw that was recovered. Now, to be clear, and correct me if I'm. wrong, right, no evidence that those. were used, but you would seem to. suggest, hey, this goes to state of. mind. This goes to planning, right? So, you're talking about one theory would be. there was an effort to potentially. dispose of her body and maybe the car. was towed before it could actually be. used, right? I mean, that made news in. the past few weeks. >> I think that's uh, you know, I believe.

that that's what happened. You know, it's only my theory, but I believe that. they were this was like one of the. ideas. I'm talking plural. I think. there's multiple people involved at. least in trying to dispose of her part. of it. And I think one of the plans. might have been, okay, what if what. about if we cremate her? What if we do. this? And so they ordered these things. and it was at least an option available. to them. They didn't put in motion. And. then I do think that they probably got. cold feet. You know, we're afraid where. do we do it? Who does it? Like should we. just pay somebody to do it? How can we. just get rid of the Tesla altogether?

Put it in a lake and none of those. plans. Then all of a sudden it gets. towed and it's like uhoh, you know, now. what? But why they would leave the Tesla. where they left it is mindboggling. >> I have to ask about this grand jury. Now. let's be clear about something. You may. have may be very limited in what you can. say. So, anything you can't say, completely understand. But I have to. ask, um, >> can you can you confirm in any way. whether you believe a grand jury and. maybe more specifically a grand jury.

that can return an indictment is being. impanled right now and is peering. evidence? that part. I, you know, there's, you. know, I did release some some things on. Twitter because I got a handwritten. notice to appear for a notice or for. order to show cause on a contempt. charge. And I put in that tweet that I. had in the past appeared a couple times. from a grand jury. I'm not saying it's a. grand jury for this case or whatever.

case, but I was given this handwritten. notice to show up. I was given it it on. a Friday and told to show up on a. Tuesday and I wasn't told what the. charge like I wasn't the exact like you. know what I was being accused of so how. could I hire representation how could I. defend myself and I also said listen I. flew in for this I'll just say a meeting. right and where I was given this piece. of paper I flew in from Georgia where I. was on search and rescue mission and. they knew I was flying out that evening. and I said I'm not I can't you know.

Tuesday you were not to what it's about. and there was no public docket about it. There was there was there was nothing. It was all very secretive and it really. worried me and that's why I came out. with it publicly because I felt like. people needed to know. It's the only. like protection I had, you know, about. this like secret hearing going on. And I. still I didn't show up for it. I still. don't know to this day what happened in. that hearing. I know that a hearing did. apparently take place. I was told by. somebody that was at the courthouse, but. I I don't know if there's a warrant for. me. I don't I have no idea. So, you.

can't say at this point in time whether. you've been held in contempt of court. and for what reason, right? You can't. say. >> It's not even that I can't say. I I. don't know because if I call the. courthouse, there's there's no case. number. I can't even check anything. So, it's like they're very well a hearing. did take place. I'll just be honest. There was a reporter after I after I. tweeted that there was a reporter that. showed up for the hearing that wanted to. know what was going on and they pushed. it from the morning to the afternoon. docket and it was after the docketed. cases and then they were told to leave.

the courtroom and so I don't know and I. can't call and find out because I don't. have a case number so I have no idea. >> Also can't confirm this but this is. based on TMZ's reporting. Um they're. saying that if there's a grand jury that. it's being spearheaded by career. homicide prosecutor Beth Silverman. Now. for people who don't know, is she a big. deal out in LA? I mean, what should we. know about her? As far as you know, >> she is a big deal. She's the one who. prosecutes most of the death penalty. cases. She the high-profile cases and.

she is fierce and aggressive and so it's. the exact type of prosecutor you want to. have in a case like this. It's also a. really scary person to have in a. situation like mine where there's a. potential secret contempt hearing going. on and that person may be spearheading. as well. So, this is what worries me and. this is why I want the press and. everybody to know about it because I. don't think it should happen that way. But as far as David goes, if indeed he's. indicted and she is the prosecutor on. it, like she is she's v she she doesn't.

lose and she takes on tough cases and. and cold cases and you know and she gets. convictions. Based on what you've seen, assuming for a moment there is a grand. jury that's been panled and hearing. evidence, and assuming it's a grand jury. that can return an indictment, >> would you say we could maybe expect that. multiple people would be indicted at the. same time that it's not just one person. that if you're talking about several. people allegedly involved in what.

happened to Celeste? Is that something. we may expect? >> Yes. And this is not, and this isn't. based on anything that I may or may not. know about a grand jury or anything, but. based on what I've seen evidence-wise, I'd be shocked if it's not multiple. people. And I do think it'll all drop at. one time. I don't think it' be just. like, you know, one person and then. start going after the others. I think I. think they're going to wrap them all up. at one time. I do think there's going to. be one or two people that have really. direct knowledge that are going to get.

immunity and unfortunately are going to. not really pay a price for this, but I. think that's the only way that they're. going to get the main um the main. people. >> And if an indictment or indictments. drop, do you think that's when the. Emmy's findings and the cause and manner. of death with respect to Celeste will be. unsealed and we and maybe Celeste's. family will finally know what happened? >> [clears throat]. >> I I I don't I don't think so. I don't I. think they're going to hold it tight. Um.

I think one of the reasons I don't I. know I know why they use investigative. juries uh grand juries obviously, but. also it's to avoid a prelim hearing. where you have to kind of show that. discovery and that evidence. And by past. dealings and knowing conversations I've. had with people involved on the. prosecution side and the secrecy wanted, I think they're going to until they. absolutely have to disclose anything. I. I don't think they're going to I think. they're going to be very minimal on. that. I do think the ME's office wants. to put the information out, but they're,

you know, >> for sure they came out quite strongly. about this uh court order and said it's. so [clears throat] unusual and there. seems to be this battle between the. Emmy's office and the LAPD. I mean, by. the way, there's like there was we. reported about this, but there was mixed. reporting. LAPD came out and said, "Despite the reporting that you're. hearing about Celeste's body being. frozen and her being decapitated, we are. denying that." I mean, by the way, can. you shed any light on that discrepancy? >> Well, I thought that was a completely. ridiculous thing from the start. I knew.

that was a fake. But also, they came out. with a statement saying that the purpose. of getting the record sealed was not, you know, to avoid transparency, but it. was to make sure that detectives got the. information before the public did. Okay, detectives now have that information. You got to believe. So, why not now? Go. ahead. If it's not transparency thing, why not release it now? I just don't. think they will. And I understand that. they have their controls and what not, but if charges drop, this is, you know, the people the state California versus. I mean this we all you know this is. something that we do have a right to.

know something about if and especially. you know and we should know if if this. person is still on the loose and they're. a threat or it could be a threat we need. to know about these things and and um I. you know I think I think some. information even a press conference uh. would be you know well advised. >> before we wrap things up before I let. you go I want to take it back to Celeste. you've been looking into [clears throat]. this case for quite some time a what did. you learn about Celeste Riva Hernandez, what would you like uh the viewers to. know about her and and what her life was.

like, her short life? A and B, have you. had the opportunity to speak to her. family or her friends? How are they. doing at this point? So, you know, if. you could shed some light on that, that'd be really great. I have talked to. a couple people that were close to. Celeste, not direct family members, but. people that were very close. And in. fact, some of the people that were. involved in helping to find her first. couple times she ran away. You know, Celeste obviously was somewhat troubled, but I mean, the huge percentage of.

teenagers her age growing up, especially. in these times, of course, you get that. I'll tell you why I haven't reached out. to her family because I do want to be. respectful of them. I know that they're. mourning and whatnot. However, Celeste. was not a true missing person. You know, there was a a missing person's report. filed since 24, but she had appeared at. home multiple times in between that time. and they knew where she was staying in. Los Angeles and I have hard proof of. that. Uh I have text messages from. family members. What they doing was they. didn't want a CPS investigation into her.

not going to school. So, they left this. report open. And I not blaming them, uh, you know, for what happened to her, but. if they were having a problem. controlling her, then there are systems. in place through the school and the. counseling system and whatnot that can. that can help and assist. Um, but I. didn't want I don't want to talk to them. because I I I feel like I have to ask. those questions like why did you allow. this? And I think that would be kind of. like, you know, victim blaming. But, you. know, listen, there was a lot of. failures along the way here and David. was kind of like greenlighted even by.

his managers and you know, every a lot. of people knew, his friends knew she was. underage and they allowed this to happen. and then then look where we're at, you. know, and and even now, who knows how. many of those people are even talking. Are they still protecting David? I mean, it's it's crazy how nobody's come out. and like, you know, told the story yet. >> D Fischer, thanks so much for taking the. time. Really appreciate it. >> Thanks for having me. And that's all we. have for you right now here on Sidebar. Everybody, thank you so much for joining. us. And as always, please subscribe on. YouTube, [music] Apple Podcast, Spotify,

wherever you should get your podcasts. You can follow me on X or Instagram. I'm. Jesse Weber. I'll speak to you next. time.