Los Angeles prosecutors have charged David Burke, a 21-year-old musician known as D4vd, with first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Her dismembered and decomposed body was discovered in September in an abandoned Tesla registered to Burke. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced the charges on Monday, describing the case as “a parent’s nightmare.”
David Burke, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, faces additional charges including lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating human remains. Prosecutors have also alleged special circumstances in the murder, including that the killing was premeditated, committed for financial gain to protect Burke’s music career, and that Rivas Hernandez was a witness to a crime. These circumstances could potentially lead to a life sentence without parole or the death penalty, though California currently has a gubernatorial moratorium on executions.
According to District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Rivas Hernandez was last heard from on April 23, 2025, when she went to Burke’s home in the Hollywood Hills and was never heard from again. Authorities stated that Rivas Hernandez was reported missing by her family in 2024 when she was 13 years old, and was 14 at the time of her death. The Los Angeles Police Department arrested Burke on suspicion of murder last Thursday at a Hollywood residence. He is being held without bail.
Burke’s legal team has vehemently denied the charges, stating that the evidence will show he did not murder Rivas Hernandez and was not the cause of her death. Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter issued a statement asserting that no indictment has been returned and no criminal complaint has been filed, and that Burke is being held only on suspicion. They pledged to vigorously defend his innocence.
The investigation into Rivas Hernandez’s death gained significant attention after her remains were found in a Tesla towed from the Hollywood Hills on September 8, 2025. The vehicle was towed a day after she would have celebrated her 15th birthday. Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing by her family from Lake Elsinore, approximately 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Investigators initially found the body in a state of decomposition, making initial identification difficult.
D4vd, an alt-pop singer who gained popularity through TikTok with his hit song “Romantic Homicide,” signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records. He released his debut EP “Petals to Thorns” and a follow-up “The Lost Petals.” His career success was contrasted with the grim allegations in the case. The investigation had reportedly been ongoing for months, with D4vd identified as a suspect by November 2025. The probe’s existence became public when his family filed an objection to subpoenas demanding their testimony in a Texas court in February 2026.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office found that Rivas Hernandez’s limbs had been severed, with dismembered body parts discovered in a second bag within the vehicle. The exact cause and time of death have not been publicly detailed by authorities, which may present challenges for the prosecution. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed that investigators learned Burke had been sexually abusing the 14-year-old, though specific details linking this to her disappearance were not elaborated upon.
Prosecutors intend to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday for review to determine if there is sufficient evidence to file formal charges. The District Attorney’s Office has acknowledged the arrest and stated that its Major Crimes Division will conduct the review.
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