The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office disclosed detailed allegations on Wednesday, stating that singer D4vd, also known as David Anthony Burke, murdered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez by repeatedly stabbing her. The court filing revealed that D4vd had been sexually abusing Rivas Hernandez since she was 13, after they met when she was 11. The prosecution asserted that D4vd killed her to prevent her from exposing their inappropriate relationship, which she had threatened to do, potentially damaging his music career.
Rivas Hernandez’s decomposing body was discovered in a Tesla vehicle towed from the Hollywood Hills in September of the previous year. Prosecutors uncovered text messages exchanged between Rivas Hernandez and D4vd on April 22, 2025, the night before her phone activity ceased, leading them to believe she was killed. Furthermore, prosecutors obtained child sexual abuse images of the victim from D4vd’s phone.
The court document detailed that D4vd purchased two chainsaws online, which he allegedly used to dismember Rivas Hernandez’s body in an inflatable pool in his garage. Prosecutors described the extensive measures taken by D4vd to destroy and dispose of the victim’s body. The autopsy report stated that Rivas Hernandez had been killed by penetrating wounds; however, prosecutors had not previously disclosed these details.
The prosecution also revealed that Rivas Hernandez’s parents reported her missing from their home in Lake Elsinore, located approximately 130 kilometers from Los Angeles, in February 2024. Despite being in contact with law enforcement after her initial disappearance, Burke claimed he had only met her once and was unaware of her age. Subsequently, Rivas Hernandez went missing again in April 2024. Prosecutors stated that during that year, she frequently stayed at Burke’s residence in the Hollywood Hills and accompanied him on trips to various locations.
Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and other offenses. His defense attorneys sought to seal the court document, but their request was denied by Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo during a hearing. The defense team refrained from commenting outside the courtroom.