Pop singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, will face a jury for the brutal murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. On July 27, 2026, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo ruled that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence during a five-day hearing to proceed with charges of first-degree murder, child sexual abuse, and mutilation of human remains.
Prosecutors allege Burke, now 21, met the victim online in 2022 when she was just 11. Their relationship became sexual when she was 13, leading to a pregnancy and abortion. The case took a dark turn in April 2025, when the girl allegedly threatened to expose their relationship and derail Burke’s rising music career. On April 23, 2025, prosecutors say Burke ordered an Uber to bring the girl to his Hollywood Hills home, where he stabbed her to death.
The discovery of her remains was equally horrifying. Her decomposing, dismembered body was found five months later in the trunk of Burke’s abandoned Tesla after it was towed to an impound lot. Evidence presented included photos of chain saws, a shovel, and an inflatable swimming pool prosecutors say Burke used to dismember the body and contain the blood. Shreds of blue plastic from the pool were found embedded in the victim’s flesh.
Burke, whose debut album was released the week of the murder, has pleaded not guilty. His defense argued the evidence does not prove deliberate intent to kill. However, prosecutors cited “mountains of evidence,” including DNA and text messages. With special circumstances like killing for financial gain, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office is now deciding whether to seek the death penalty. Burke remains held without bail, with his next court date scheduled for August 31.
