D4vd charged with murder in death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Singer and songwriter d4vd has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in a Tesla belonging to the musician last year.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges against dv4d, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, on Monday morning, saying he was charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, lewd and lascivious acts with an individual under 14 and mutilating a body. 

“These charges include the most serious charges that a DA’s office can bring,” Hochman said. 

Burke, 21, was arrested last week after becoming the target of a grand jury investigation into the death of Hernandez.

“Celeste was just a child, under 14 years old, when David Burke allegedly engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations with her,” Hochman said in a news release announcing the charges. “But Burke’s actions did not allegedly stop there. When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her, cut up her body and stuffed her body in two bags that were placed in the front trunk of his car.”

Hochman also said that the dismembered body sat in the car for months as it decomposed, until it was found in Sept. 2025. Charging documents allege that Burke committed the crime of “continuous sexual abuse” that started on or about Sept. 2023, the month that Rivas turned 13 years old. 

The murder charges included special circumstances — lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain and murdering the witness in an investigation. The criminal complaint also included special circumstances allegations of murder of a witness, as well as a special allegation that Burke personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a sharp instrument, to commit the crime in April 2025.

Hochman said the first-degree murder charge could carry the maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. 

“The determination on whether or not the district attorney’s office will seek the death penalty will be made at a later time,” Hochman said. 

Burke appeared in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Monday afternoon, where his attorneys entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

“We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez nor was he the cause of her death,” an attorney said during the hearing. They have asked for a preliminary hearing within 10 days.

CBS LA has reached out to Burke’s attorneys for a comment and is waiting for a response. 

“The Burkes are not surprised but are terribly disappointed that the District Attorney chose to charge David. Nevertheless they support and stand by him one hundred percent,” said a statement from Burke’s family, shared by their attorney.

Hernandez’s remains were discovered on Sept. 8, 2025, after police responded to reports of a foul smell attracting flies at the Hollywood Tow yard. Her body was found “severely decomposed” and “dismembered” in the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke’s name, according to court records. 

Authorities found a decomposed head and torso in a cadaver bag inside a Tesla stored at the yard, court documents said. In another bag inside the car, dismembered body parts were found.

“The condition of her remains delayed the medical examiner’s ability to be able to determine her cause of death. The substantial amount of time that passed between her death and the discovery meant that crucial evidence had degraded or disappeared,” LA Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said. 

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said Hernandez was reported missing from Lake Elsinore a year prior to when prosecutors believe she was killed. A “Missing Person” flyer stated she had last been seen on April 5, 2024, after leaving her home at 9 p.m. that day. Hochman said Hernandez was at Burke’s Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, at “his invitation.” McDonnell said that Hernandez was in a “sexual relationship” with Burke. 

He added that throughout the 7-month investigation, the department has faced criticism of how they’ve handled the case and for their decision not to provide details. 

“I want to be clear about something: My duty is not to fuel speculation. It’s to deliver justice,” McDonnell said. 

Hochman said his office will be using witness testimony, documents and different types of admissible testimony in their case. 

“In a situation where you don’t have an eyewitness account … you have to go through a very rigorous and thorough investigation to look at all the digital and forensic evidence,” Hochman said. 

Burke was on the “d4vd Withered 2025 World Tour” when the identity of Hernandez was released. He canceled a Seattle concert the same day she was identified and cancellations of subsequent shows followed. 

“To Ms. Rivas’ family, we cannot undo the pain that you are feeling,” McDonnell said. “Our hope is that today brings some measure of accountability and a step in the journey toward healing.”

Hochman said anyone who may have any information regarding the case to come forward.  Burke remains jailed without bail and is due back in court on Thursday.