In this episode of Rotten Mango, the hosts examine the case against David, an 18-year-old musician charged with killing 13-year-old Celeste. The episode covers the timeline of events leading to Celeste's disappearance in April 2025, the discovery of her dismembered remains in David's Tesla seven months later, and the forensic evidence prosecutors allege links David to the crime. The hosts detail the investigation's findings, including alleged grooming, sexual exploitation, and substantial digital evidence recovered from David's devices.
The episode explores widespread online speculation surrounding the case, including analysis of David's livestreams, song lyrics, and documented interest in manga featuring dismemberment themes. The hosts discuss theories about David's actions following the alleged crime, questions raised by a private investigator about the forensic investigation, and the digital trail that demonstrates how aspects of the abuse were visible to multiple people in David's and Celeste's communities before Celeste's death.

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According to prosecutors' preliminary brief, David met Celeste in January 2022 when she was 11 and allegedly began grooming her in November 2023 when she was 13 and he was 18. Celeste first disappeared in February 2024, and upon reviewing her phone records, authorities found frequent contact with David. When questioned by both Riverside County and Los Angeles Sheriff's Departments, David claimed ignorance of her age and insisted he only met her once, though he oddly offered to show officers a yearbook photo that didn't display her age. Suspiciously, Celeste returned home two days after police visited David's house. Prosecutors emphasize that David continued pursuing Celeste after being explicitly told she was 13. In April 2025, Celeste vanished again.
On September 8, 2025, authorities discovered Celeste's remains in David's Tesla parked in the Hollywood Hills following complaints about a strong odor. The autopsy revealed her head was skeletonized with the left eye absent—though speculation suggested intentional removal, decomposition and insect activity provide probable cause. Her remains were separated into containers: head and torso in a body bag, limbs in a trash bag underneath. The autopsy confirmed the remains were not frozen and showed advanced decomposition.
David was arrested in April 2026, seven months after Celeste's body was found. Prosecutors state David killed Celeste in April 2025 and dismembered her twelve days later, corroborated by forensic analysis of the remains and decomposition timeline.
Prosecutors allege David dismembered Celeste in the garage using a chainsaw and an inflatable blue pool to contain biological material. A private investigator (PI) expresses skepticism about this claim, noting the garage's two-story brick floor with substantial grout would be extremely difficult to clean thoroughly. The PI questions the adequacy of the investigation, noting only limited luminol testing was conducted rather than the comprehensive forensic sweep expected for a full dismemberment.
Inside the garage, the PI discovered and released photos of a burn cage still in its box and a chainsaw with packaging present but no visible biological remnants. The burn cage appears unused, raising questions about why David would acquire it for a rental home. Theories suggest he planned to wait until decomposition made remains easier to burn, though others argue logistical issues or fear of attracting attention prevented its use. The inflatable blue pool reportedly remained in David's possession, fueling speculation about his disposal plans.
A 2009 forensic pathologist study published in the Journal of Forensic Science adds context, showing that using small electric chainsaws parallel to the floor produces minimal blood spatter. This means less blood may be found at a dismemberment site than expected. Prosecutors claim David dismembered Celeste approximately 12 days after her death, with speculation about where her body was stored during decomposition.
There is broad confusion over David's actions following the alleged crime. One theory suggests David placed Celeste's body in his Tesla trunk intending disposal, but avoidance, disorganization, and psychological factors prevented further action. Remarkably, Celeste's remains sat in the trunk for months undetected despite parking enforcement tickets and hot Los Angeles weather. Even when the car was impounded and transported to a tow yard, no immediate odor complaints arose. The choices made—keeping biological evidence in place and failing to make even basic attempts at further concealment—remain among the case's most baffling aspects.
The internet has meticulously dissected every detail of David's behavior, art, and interests, leading to extensive speculation fueled by viral livestream clips, song lyrics, and his obsession with manga and anime.
During a July 4th Twitch livestream, several moments are now interpreted as significant by online theorists. At one point, David appeared concerned about people's whereabouts and was heard instructing others which bathroom to use, leading netizens to speculate he needed to control access to specific areas to conceal evidence. Throughout the stream, repeated references were made to a woman named Celeste avoiding the camera. It was later clarified this was Celeste Herrera, an older adult friend—leading netizens to speculate David's association with an adult by the same name was intentional to generate confusion. Background audio also captured a conversation about a car that some believe references moving a Tesla.
On August 12, 2025, less than a month before Celeste's body was found, David released a song called "Favorite" with lyrics listeners believe are written from Celeste's perspective, referencing running, hiding, and bleeding out. The song was written about four months after the alleged killing. David further fueled speculation by titling his September 2025 deluxe album "Marcescence," a term describing how certain trees retain withered leaves through winter. Online theorists draw parallels between this concept and David's alleged compulsion to "hold on" to the dead.
David's documented fascination with "MPD Psycho"—a manga featuring a detective who unknowingly investigates murders he himself committed, with dismemberment as his signature—is widely cited by netizens as inspiration for the case details. A particularly chilling parallel is the manga's serial killer who has a barcode tattooed under his left eyelid, while Celeste's autopsy reports a missing left eye. David also publicly discussed creating the alter ego "Itami" (Japanese for "pain"), an evil persona inspired by "Fight Club" and manga that ruins relationships and weaves chaos.
The detail that Celeste's left ring finger, supposedly tattooed with David's name, and her pinky finger were missing led to theories that David kept them as trophies. Other theorists draw connections to yakuza tradition, where amputation of fingers signifies atonement or loyalty.
A TikTok showing David with a severed finger prop—originally dismissed as an anime collectible resembling the "Sukuna finger" from Jujutsu Kaisen—has been resurrected as possible evidence. Clips of the July 4th livestream have been widely circulated with added subtitles purporting to reveal incriminating statements like "We killed her," though the audio is too muddled to confirm. Finally, David's appearance in a "97" shirt has generated speculation that the numbers allude to September 7th, possibly marking the date of Celeste's death.
Court documents reveal David persistently pursued Celeste despite explicit warnings from law enforcement that she was only thirteen. At one point, David paid a junior high school classmate of Celeste $1,000 to deliver a cell phone he had purchased, ensuring continued contact. Throughout 2024, Celeste frequently visited David's Hollywood Hills home on weekends, and David took her on trips to Las Vegas, London, and Texas. Text messages document repeated sexual activity and a relationship marked by instability.
Text messages between David and Celeste provide explicit evidence of sexual exploitation, detailing sexual activity, a pregnancy, the use of emergency contraceptives, and an abortion—all between an adult and a thirteen-year-old child. Discord logs include David seeking baby name advice, while a deleted user believed to be Celeste expresses belief that she is pregnant.
Explicit photographs of Celeste, taken when she was thirteen, were found on David's devices, constituting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Investigators discovered David's iCloud storage contained a substantial amount of CSAM within 40 terabytes of data, though the exact proportion remains unspecified.
Authorities wiretapped David's phone, providing prosecutors with critical forensic evidence. After Celeste's body was found, David maintained sporadic contact with acquaintances on Instagram and monitored public discourse surrounding his case. Rumors circulated that David used other platforms, including Letterboxd and Fortnite, reflecting his ongoing surveillance of developments.
The case was never a well-kept secret. Teachers and students at Celeste's school were aware of her involvement with David. In February 2024, a public comment on David's TikTok directly referenced the allegations. Discord messages from August 2024 discussed David releasing a song "with the missing girl, Celeste Rivas Hernandez." The digital and community trails demonstrate that the abuse was ongoing and brazen, and was at least partly visible to multiple people.
1-Page Summary
According to the prosecutors' preliminary brief, David met Celeste in January 2022, when she was 11 years old. He allegedly began grooming and violating her in November 2023, at which point Celeste was 13 and David was 18. While some references use the term "relationship," this legally stems from quoting court documents and does not reflect the criminal nature of the conduct described. The evidence shows communication between Celeste and David soon after the grooming allegedly began.
Celeste first disappeared in February 2024. Her family reported her missing to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department (RCSD), who, upon reviewing her phone records, found frequent contact with a specific number belonging to David. When questioned, David told officers he last spoke to Celeste around February 13th or 14th, but claimed he did not know she was a minor or that she had been reported missing. RCSD informed David that they would involve the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) since Celeste lived in their jurisdiction. LASD officers visited David's previous residence at around 8:15 p.m., informing him they were looking for a "runaway" 13-year-old girl. David again claimed no knowledge of her age and insisted he only met her once in November 2023. Oddly, David offered to show officers a yearbook photo of Celeste—raising suspicion, as the photo did not display her age or grade and contradicted his claim of a brief, singular acquaintance.
Despite David's denials, court documents confirm that Celeste returned home two days after police visited his house, a timing deemed suspicious. Prosecutors stress that after being clearly told by authorities that Celeste was only 13, David continued to pursue her. In April 2025, over a year later, Celeste vanished again. This time, law enforcement did not follow up with David before the eventual discovery of her body.
On September 8, 2025, following a complaint about a strong odor, authorities discovered Celeste's remains in David's Tesla, parked in the Hollywood Hills. The autopsy revealed that Celeste's head was skeletonized with the left eye absent—while public figures speculated this was intentional, decomposition and insect activity provide probable cause for the eye's disappearance. Her right eye and ...
Timeline and Evidence of Crime, Remains Discovery, and Arrests
Prosecutors allege that David dismembered Celeste in the garage, using a chainsaw and an inflatable blue pool to contain biological material. This claim raises significant skepticism, especially from a private investigator (PI) who points out the forensic challenges posed by the garage itself—a two-story structure with a brick floor and substantial grout, making it extremely difficult to clean blood or tissue evidence thoroughly. The PI questions the adequacy of the crime scene investigation, noting that law enforcement only conducted limited luminol testing rather than a comprehensive forensic sweep expected if a full dismemberment took place. This quick investigation and the lack of a lockdown at the scene lead to speculation about how thoroughly the agency documented blood and physical evidence.
Inside the garage, the PI discovered and released photos of a burn cage—still in its box—and a chainsaw, whose packaging was present but did not show visible tissue or biological remnants. The police likely seized the chainsaw, but its actual use remains unconfirmed. The burn cage, ordered by David, appears unused. Observers question why David would acquire a burn cage for a rental home when he wasn't engaged in property renovations or landscaping.
There are various theories regarding David’s intent with the burn cage. Some suggest he planned to wait until decomposition made the remains easier to burn, while others argue the cage went unused due to logistical issues or the risk of attracting attention by starting a fire in the Hollywood Hills. Notably, the specific model is not electrically powered but is a steel containment box for burning items, which nonetheless would have created noticeable smoke and potentially summoned first responders.
The inflatable blue pool, described in legal briefs as full-size (contrary to the “kiddie pool” label often circulated online), reportedly remained in David's possession. This has fueled speculation: some say he could have disposed of it inconspicuously by cutting it into pieces, but others argue the presence of blood would be hard to hide if discarded whole. The fact that the pool was not thrown away is cited as further evidence of sloppy or illogical behavior.
A forensic pathologist study published in the Journal of Forensic Science (2009) adds context, showing that using small electric chainsaws parallel to the floor produces minimal blood spatter, contrary to common movie depictions. This means that much less blood may be found at a dismemberment site than expected if the chainsaw is used in a certain orientation. The same study also found that chainsaws rarely jam when cutting large carcasses, challenging misconceptions about tool failure.
Prosecutors claim David dismembered Celeste approximately 12 days after her death, with many speculating about where her body was stored during decomposition. There is no evidence Celeste was frozen, and LAPD has clarified she was not frozen at the time she was found in the trunk. Some theorize she may have been kept in a bathroom or similarly concealed spot in the house, where decomposition odors might linger.
Forensic Details and Crime Scene Analysis
The internet has meticulously dissected every detail of David’s behavior, his art, and his interests, leading to an entwined web of speculation—fueled by viral livestream clips, song lyrics, symbolic actions, and his obsession with manga and anime. Each fragment is scrutinized and interconnected by online sleuths, who attempt to uncover hidden clues pointing to David’s guilt or psychological state.
During the July 4th Twitch livestream filmed primarily in what appears to be David’s guest bathroom, numerous moments are now interpreted as significant by online theorists. Sakura and Asia spent most of the stream getting ready there, with David and Neo occasionally coming in and out. At one point, when Sakura leaves the livestream unattended, David appears concerned about people’s whereabouts, asking, “Where did they go?” Neo says “They went to the bathroom,” prompting David to clarify, “There’s a toilet right there.” David then leaves and is heard instructing others which bathroom to use. Some netizens speculate that his behavior stemmed from a need to control access to specific areas of the house—possibly to conceal evidence. While the host of the discussion finds it unlikely that a body could have been present, the prevailing online sentiment is that David sought to direct people away from certain sensitive places.
Throughout the livestream, repeated references are made to a woman named Celeste avoiding the camera. Neo is repeatedly heard saying, "Celeste is here, but she doesn't want to be on the stream." Many watchers initially assumed this was evidence that the missing minor Celeste was present, suggesting a network of complicit acquaintances. However, it was later clarified that the Celeste mentioned is Celeste Herrera—an older woman, legal adult, and friend—acting as a "decoy Celeste." Netizens speculate that David’s association with an adult by the same name was intentional, possibly to generate confusion over which Celeste—if any—he was publicly seen with at events and in videos, thereby weakening the connection to the minor Celeste.
During the same stream, David turns his camera to show this adult Celeste, despite her insistence on avoiding the stream, and apologizes. This is viewed as an orchestrated move to “prove” to the audience that the Celeste present is not the missing girl. The persistent references to “the other Celeste” in the bathroom and the background voices further fueled these conspiracy theories.
Another moment dissected by viewers features background audio where David and Neo discuss forgetting something about a car. Neo is heard saying, "oh, I forgot," with David replying, "oh, you forgot about the car, huh? Wow, son." Some believe this is in reference to moving a Tesla, speculating about its significance, while others point out that the conversation could simply be about an Uber before everyone leaves for the July 4th party. Still, these mundane exchanges are mined for clues.
On August 12, 2025—less than a month before Celeste's body was found—David announced a song called "Favorite" that rapidly gained notoriety. Listeners believe the lyrics (“I’m running away from you... I’m bleeding out and my blood stained your clothes. Would you let me die on you?”) are written from Celeste’s perspective, referencing running, hiding, and even bleeding out. The song was written about four months after the alleged killing and dismemberment. Other lyrics, such as “I can travel all night to you no matter the distance. I’m still waiting for the day when I become your favorite,” are interpreted as either confessional admissions or as David’s psychological processing of the crime.
Fans and investigators suggest that the pain, struggles of invisibility, and mentions of distance or "replacement" are direct nods to details of the case and David’s emotional turmoil, possibly hinting at guilt or regret.
David further fueled speculation by titling his September 2025 deluxe album "Marcescence.” The term describes how certain trees retain withered leaves through winter, only shedding them in spring—a process shrouded in scientific mystery. Online theorists draw parallels between marcescence and David’s alleged compulsion to “hold on” to the dead, seeing it as symbolic of hiding evidence, refusing to move on from the crime, or as an omen of eventual exposure and renewal.
David’s well-documented fascination with Japanese culture and manga—particularly “MPD Psycho”—is used to support claims that his art and alleged actions are intertwined. The manga, which features a detective who unknowingly investigates murders he himself committed, with a signature MO of dismemberment and torso/limb separation, is widely cited by netizens as inspiration for the details of Celeste’s case.
A particularly chilling point is the parallel between the manga’s serial killer, who has a barcode tattooed under his left eyelid, and the autopsy of Celeste, which reports a missing left eye. Unlike typical decomposition (where eyes might liquefy), the absence of trauma or consumption leaves the impression that the removal was deliberate. Web sleuths reason this as homage or replication of the manga’s symbolism.
David publicly discussed his creation of the alter ego "Itami" (Japanese for “pain”)—an evil person ...
Online Theories and Conspiracy Speculations
Court documents reveal that David persistently pursued Celeste, ignoring explicit warnings from law enforcement that she was only thirteen years old. Despite being told of the legal implications, David continued to communicate and arrange contact with her. At one point, David traveled to Lake Elsinore and paid a junior high school classmate of Celeste $1,000 to deliver a cell phone he had purchased, ensuring they could remain in contact even after Celeste's parents confiscated her phone following her initial disappearance. This arrangement is believed to be documented by a photo of David in Lake Elsinore with a group of young kids, allegedly during the transaction in which he provided food and money.
Throughout 2024, Celeste frequently visited David's Hollywood Hills home on weekends. David also took her on trips to Las Vegas, London, and Texas, including visits to meet his family. The relationship dynamic, as pieced together from text messages, was marked by instability; the two repeatedly broke up but continued communicating and, according to these messages, engaged in repeated sexual activity.
Text messages between David and Celeste provide explicit evidence of sexual exploitation. These messages detail sexual activity, a pregnancy, the use of emergency contraceptives, and an abortion—all between an adult and a thirteen-year-old child. The texts document not only the illegal sexual relationship but also the logistical and emotional fallout of this abuse.
In addition to text messages, Discord logs include substantial evidence about the illegal relationship. In these logs, David is observed seeking baby name advice, while a deleted user—believed to be Celeste—expresses her belief that she is pregnant. These communications raise further questions about the circumstances of a potential pregnancy resulting from the alleged crimes.
Significant digital evidence corroborates the allegations. Explicit photographs of Celeste, taken when she was thirteen, were found on David's devices. These images constitute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and provide incontrovertible evidence of visual exploitation. Investigators also discovered that David’s iCloud storage contained a substantial amount of CSAM; the exact proportion within the 40 terabytes of data remains unspecified. Much of this data could include audio files, videos, location data, and other digital evidence, making the distinction between stored and confirmed CSAM critically important in ongoing investigations.
Authorities wiretapped David's phone, providing prosecutors with critical forensic and digital evidence. After Celeste's body was found in David’s car in late 2025, David maintained sporadic contact with musicians and acquaintances on Instagram, continuing digital conversations with people like Kayden, who brought up the case in direct messages. These exchanges indicate David monitored and remained active on social medi ...
Sexual Abuse Allegations, Child Exploitation, and Digital Evidence
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