D4vd Faces Murder, Abuse and Mutilation Charges in 14-Year-Old Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 5
D4vd Faces Murder, Abuse and Mutilation Charges in 14-Year-Old Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case
3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 5
Summary
Los Angeles prosecutors say David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old pop singer known as D4vd, killed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez on April 23, 2025, and now faces charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and mutilating human remains.
Prosecutors allege Burke abused Rivas Hernandez for more than a year after meeting her online, got her pregnant at 13, and killed her after she threatened to expose the relationship and damage his career.
Investigators say her decomposed remains were found Sept. 8 in the trunk of Burke’s impounded Tesla, after he allegedly dismembered her with chain saws and stored the body for weeks while continuing album events and a 24-show tour.
At a July preliminary hearing, a judge found enough evidence to send Burke to trial; prosecutors cited digital messages, photos, DNA and a financial motive tied to up to $12 million in remaining album options.
The case has shattered Burke’s rapid rise from internet musician to major-label pop act, with canceled tour dates, dropped brand deals and a severed label relationship as Celeste’s family awaits trial.
How did a rising pop star hide a dismembered body in his car for months while continuing a global tour?
Were the violent themes in the singer's music merely artistic expression, or a dark blueprint for a gruesome murder?
The Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case: D4vd’s $13 Million Career, Online Grooming, and a High-Profile Los Angeles Murder Trial
Overview
The case against musician David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, centers on his illicit relationship with 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, which began in 2023. When Celeste threatened to expose their relationship in early 2025, Burke feared it would destroy his music career and the release of his debut album. Prosecutors allege he arranged for Celeste to visit his Los Angeles home, where he murdered her and hid her remains in his Tesla. Months later, her body was discovered after the car was towed and a foul odor was reported. The case led to Burke’s arrest, severe charges, and a dramatic collapse of his music career, with industry partners cutting ties and public outrage growing as the trial approaches.