Singer and songwriter d4vd has been charged with first-degree homicide within the demise of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered physique was present in a Tesla belonging to the musician final yr.
Los Angeles County District Lawyer Nathan Hochman introduced the costs towards dv4d, whose actual title is David Anthony Burke, on Monday morning, saying he was charged with first-degree homicide with particular circumstances, lewd and lascivious acts with a person beneath 14 and mutilating a physique.
“These fees embrace essentially the most critical fees {that a} DA’s workplace can carry,” Hochman stated.
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Burke, 21, was arrested final week after changing into the goal of a grand jury investigation into the demise of Hernandez.
“Celeste was only a youngster, beneath 14 years previous, when David Burke allegedly engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations along with her,” Hochman stated in a information launch saying the costs. “However Burke’s actions didn’t allegedly cease there. When she threatened to reveal his felony conduct and devastate his musical profession, Burke allegedly murdered her, reduce up her physique and stuffed her physique in two baggage that have been positioned within the entrance trunk of his automotive.”
Hochman additionally stated that the dismembered physique sat within the automotive for months because it decomposed, till it was present in Sept. 2025. Charging paperwork allege that Burke dedicated the crime of “steady sexual abuse” that began on or about Sept. 2023, the month that Rivas turned 13 years previous.
The homicide fees included particular circumstances — mendacity in wait, committing the crime for monetary acquire and murdering the witness in an investigation. The felony criticism additionally included particular circumstances allegations of homicide of a witness, in addition to a particular allegation that Burke personally used a lethal and harmful weapon, a pointy instrument, to commit the crime in April 2025.
Hochman stated the first-degree homicide cost may carry the utmost sentence of life with out the potential for parole or the demise penalty.
“The willpower on whether or not or not the district lawyer’s workplace will search the demise penalty shall be made at a later time,” Hochman stated.
Burke appeared in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Monday afternoon, the place his attorneys entered a not responsible plea on his behalf.
“We imagine the precise proof will present David Burke didn’t homicide Celeste Rivas Hernandez nor was he the reason for her demise,” an lawyer stated throughout the listening to. They’ve requested for a preliminary listening to inside 10 days.
CBS LA has reached out to Burke’s attorneys for a remark and is ready for a response.
“The Burkes should not shocked however are terribly disenchanted that the District Lawyer selected to cost David. However they help and stand by him 100%,” stated a press release from Burke’s household, shared by their lawyer.
Hernandez’s stays have been found on Sept. 8, 2025, after police responded to stories of a foul scent attracting flies on the Hollywood Tow yard. Her physique was discovered “severely decomposed” and “dismembered” within the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke’s title, based on court docket data.
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Authorities discovered a decomposed head and torso in a cadaver bag inside a Tesla saved on the yard, court docket paperwork stated. In one other bag contained in the automotive, dismembered physique components have been discovered.
“The situation of her stays delayed the health worker’s potential to have the ability to decide her reason for demise. The substantial period of time that handed between her demise and the invention meant that essential proof had degraded or disappeared,” LA Police Division Chief Jim McDonnell stated.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Division stated Hernandez was reported lacking from Lake Elsinore a yr previous to when prosecutors imagine she was killed. A “Lacking Individual” flyer acknowledged she had final been seen on April 5, 2024, after leaving her house at 9 p.m. that day. Hochman stated Hernandez was at Burke’s Hollywood Hills house on April 23, 2025, at “his invitation.” McDonnell stated that Hernandez was in a “sexual relationship” with Burke.
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He added that all through the 7-month investigation, the division has confronted criticism of how they’ve dealt with the case and for his or her resolution to not present particulars.
“I need to be clear about one thing: My obligation is to not gas hypothesis. It is to ship justice,” McDonnell stated.
Hochman stated his workplace shall be utilizing witness testimony, paperwork and several types of admissible testimony of their case.
“In a scenario the place you do not have an eyewitness account … it’s a must to undergo a really rigorous and thorough investigation to have a look at all of the digital and forensic proof,” Hochman stated.
Burke was on the “d4vd Withered 2025 World Tour” when the id of Hernandez was launched. He canceled a Seattle live performance the identical day she was recognized and cancellations of subsequent exhibits adopted.
“To Ms. Rivas’ household, we can not undo the ache that you’re feeling,” McDonnell stated. “Our hope is that right this moment brings some measure of accountability and a step within the journey towards therapeutic.”
Hochman stated anybody who might have any info relating to the case to come back ahead. Burke stays jailed with out bail and is due again in court docket on Thursday.
