David Anthony Burke, known professionally as the musician D4vd, has been formally charged in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Burke (born 2005) was arrested on April 16, 2026, and charged on April 20, 2026, with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and mutilation of human remains. The charges stem from the discovery of the victim’s dismembered body in the trunk of his impounded Tesla in September 2025. Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held without bail.
Discovery and Investigation
Discovery of the Body
On September 5, 2025, a 2023 Tesla Model Y registered to Burke was towed from the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles after being reported as abandoned. The vehicle had been seen parked in various locations over several months, with neighborhood sources reporting it had been there for an extended period.
On September 8, 2025, tow yard personnel contacted police, reporting a foul odor and flies around the vehicle. Upon opening the trunk, detectives found the severely decomposed remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside two bags. According to court documents, one bag contained a decomposed head and torso, and a second bag contained severed arms and legs.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office reported the body was severely decomposed, making it difficult to determine eye color. The cause of death was initially listed as “deferred.” The body was identified the day after what would have been the victim’s 15th birthday.
Identification and Background of the Victim
- Celeste Rivas Hernandez was a 14-year-old resident of Lake Elsinore, California. Authorities state she was 13 years old at the time she was first reported missing.
- Her family reported her missing in February 2024 and again in April 2024. According to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office, she was last seen on April 5, 2024.
- Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation said the victim and Burke met online. Her brother, Matthew Rivas, told a local news station that before she went missing, she went to see a movie with Burke and did not return home.
- The victim’s family is originally from El Salvador.
Investigation Timeline
- September 5, 2025: Burke’s Tesla is towed from the Hollywood Hills.
- September 8, 2025: The body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez is discovered in the trunk.
- September 17, 2025: Police served a search warrant at Burke’s home, collecting electronics including a computer.
- November 2025: The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office convened a secret investigative grand jury.
- November 21, 2025: A judge issued a court order to seal the autopsy results at the request of an LAPD detective.
- November 18, 2025: Reports indicate Burke’s cooperation with authorities ceased on this date.
- February 2025: Court documents publicly identified Burke as the “target” of a murder investigation.
- April 16, 2026: Burke was arrested at a home in the Hollywood Hills by the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division on suspicion of murder. An LAPD Captain stated the arrest resulted from an investigation described as "airtight."
- April 20, 2026: Formal charges were announced.
Investigation Details
The investigation was conducted under a court-ordered security hold, preventing the release of autopsy findings. The Medical Examiner’s office opposed the hold, stating it prevented “full transparency.” A grand jury investigation into the death was convened, the existence of which was revealed on February 25, 2025, when Burke’s family members filed an objection to subpoenas requiring their testimony in a Texas court.
A member of D4vd’s entourage, influencer Neo Langston, was arrested earlier in 2025 in Montana after allegedly attempting to avoid appearing before the grand jury.
Charges and Allegations
Formal Charges
On April 20, 2026, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed the following charges against David Anthony Burke:
- First-degree murder with special circumstances, including:
- Lying in wait
- Murder for financial gain (prosecutors allege Burke killed the victim to maintain his musical career, which she was allegedly threatening to expose)
- Murder of a witness to a crime
- Continuous lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 (alleged to have occurred between September 7, 2023, and September 7, 2024)
- Unlawful mutilation of human remains
The criminal complaint also includes a special allegation that Burke personally used a sharp instrument as a deadly and dangerous weapon.
Prosecution’s Allegations
According to the District Attorney’s Office:
- The alleged continuous sexual abuse began around September 7, 2023, when Rivas Hernandez turned 13 years old.
- Prosecutors allege Burke killed Rivas Hernandez on or about April 23, 2025, after she threatened to expose their relationship, which he feared would damage his music career.
- Burke is accused of dismembering the body approximately two weeks later, in early May 2025.
- Prosecutors allege Burke used chainsaws to dismember the body in an inflatable pool in his garage, where the victim’s DNA was later found.
- Evidence was allegedly discarded at Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County; the victim’s passport was reportedly found there in January 2025.
- A prosecutor stated in court that Burke’s phone and iCloud account contained a “significant amount” of child pornography. Prosecutors reported that Burke’s iCloud account contains eight terabytes of data, with one terabyte downloaded so far.
Potential Penalties
- If convicted as charged, Burke faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
- The District Attorney’s office has not yet announced whether it will seek the death penalty.
Autopsy Report
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report was completed in December 2025 but was sealed pending investigation. The report was subsequently unsealed and released following a court order.
Cause and Manner of Death
Manner: Homicide
Cause: Multiple penetrating injuries to the upper body
- Two wounds were documented: one on the upper abdomen penetrating the liver, and one on the left chest damaging ribs.
- A tube top the victim was wearing appeared to be cut in three places.
- The report noted “extensive postmortem changes” as the body was dismembered and decomposing, limiting the examination.
Additional Findings
- The body had degraded to the point where examiners could not determine eye color.
- The victim had braces at the time of her death.
- A tattoo reading “Shhh....” was present on the inside of her right index finger.
- Two fingers (left ring and pinky fingers) were missing, as were parts of her arms and legs. Prosecutors allege the fingers were amputated to destroy a tattoo of Burke’s name on the ring finger.
- Multiple fragments of blue plastic material were embedded in cut surfaces.
- Presumptive positive tests for benzodiazepines and methamphetamine/MDMA were found in the victim’s system.
- The body weighed 71 pounds at the time of discovery.
Legal Proceedings
Arraignment
- April 20, 2026: Burke appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court before Judge Theresa McGonigle. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf by his attorneys. He did not speak during the hearing. The judge ordered him to remain in custody without bail.
- April 23, 2026: Prosecutors disclosed in court that Burke’s iCloud account contained a “significant amount” of child pornography. The judge denied requests for cameras in court at future hearings due to the sensitive nature of the material.
- A preliminary evidentiary hearing was scheduled to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for a trial.
Statements
Prosecution:
- Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated the charges allege Burke killed the victim to prevent her from exposing their sexual relationship, which he feared would devastate his musical career. He stated the case is based on physical, forensic, and digital evidence.
Defense:
- Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter issued a statement: “Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.” They further stated: “David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence.”
Victim’s Family:
- The victim’s father, Jesus Rivas, said: “Thank God … justice for Celeste.” In a public statement, the victim’s parents said: “All we want is justice for Celeste.”
Medical Examiner:
- Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey C. Ukpo stated: “After several months, I am grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss. It is unfathomable they have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter.”
Context on David Burke (D4vd)
- David Anthony Burke was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Texas. As of his arrest, he was a resident of Los Angeles.
- He gained popularity in 2022 when his song “Romantic Homicide” became a viral hit on TikTok. The song has over 1 billion streams on Spotify. He amassed over 3.6 million followers on TikTok.
- His music blends indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop. He released his debut EP “Petals to Thorns” in 2023.
- He signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records under a licensing agreement. Interscope Records dropped Burke in late 2024 after his arrest. Universal Music Group (UMG) has no ownership or copyrights to Burke’s music, as his deal was a licensing agreement. His music now credits D4VD ENT., LLC.
- He released his debut studio album, Withered, in April 2025. The album charted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.
- He was on his “Withered” world tour when the victim’s body was discovered.
Industry Responses
- YouTube demonetized Burke’s channel under its Creator Responsibility policy.
- Music advocacy group Industry Blackout launched a petition calling for removal of Burke’s music from Spotify and Apple Music.
- Artists who collaborated with Burke, including Kali Uchis, Holly Humberstone, Laufey, and Damiano David, have worked to remove their collaborative songs from streaming platforms.
- Fashion brands Crocs and Hollister removed campaign content featuring Burke.
- Sony Music Publishing reportedly suspended promotion for his second album.
- Burke’s name was removed from the lineup of the Spilt Milk festival in Australia.