D4vd Charged With Murder in Death of Teen Girl Celeste Rivas

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday that musician David Burke, the 22-year-old artist known as D4vd, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The charges also include lewd acts with a child and dismemberment of a body. Prosecutors assert Burke was in a sexual relationship with the teenager, who was 13 when she first ran away from home in 2024. Special circumstances allegations—such as murder for financial gain and killing a witness to a crime—mean a conviction could bring the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole. Burke is scheduled for arraignment later today.

The investigation originated in September 2025 at a Hollywood tow yard, where police followed a powerful odor to an impounded Tesla registered to Burke. The vehicle, abandoned the prior week in the Hollywood Hills, contained a bag in its front trunk holding the badly decomposed remains of a young woman, later identified as Hernandez. According to authorities, she was last seen alive on April 23, 2025, visiting Burke’s home in the same area. The LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division then undertook a methodical, months-long investigation. This careful pace is typical in complex cases; as former prosecutor Michael Rodriguez notes, "Rushing to publicize evidence can compromise witness testimony and taint a jury pool, so a deliberate build-up is often strategically necessary for a solid trial case."

Although the official coroner’s report is pending, DA Hochman stated the prosecution has amassed significant evidence, including forensic and digital materials, to prove Burke used a "sharp instrument." LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell emphasized the disciplined approach, stating his duty is to deliver justice through patience, not public speculation. The investigation expanded to include a trip Burke took to the Santa Barbara area following Hernandez's disappearance. In a routine step to preserve evidence integrity, the medical examiner was instructed by the LAPD to withhold specific details about the death.

Initially presenting as cooperative, Burke’s stance shifted after he was publicly linked to the impounded Tesla; he abruptly canceled the remaining dates of his U.S. tour a week later. He was arrested last Thursday and is now held without bail. The charges have reverberated through the music industry, where Burke had been gaining traction with his moody, genre-blending sound under the D4vd moniker—a stage name he adopted after initially posting music online from his sister’s closet. His rapid descent from emerging artist to murder defendant highlights a stark dichotomy between public image and grave private allegations.

This case joins a troubling history of criminal allegations against public figures in the entertainment world, forcing fans and the industry to reconcile artistic output with personal conduct. The coming legal process will seek to adjudicate the facts behind allegations that have tragically cut short a young life and a burgeoning career.