Prosecutors have alleged that singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, murdered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez by stabbing her multiple times before dismembering her body with chainsaws in his garage. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office released a court filing on Wednesday detailing the evidence they plan to present, offering the first comprehensive account of the killing and subsequent efforts to conceal the crime.
According to the filing, Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 and began sexually abusing her at age 13, when he was 18. Prosecutors claim he killed her after she threatened to expose their relationship. The document states, "Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out."
Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. His legal team maintains his innocence and asserts he did not cause the girl's death. The victim's body was discovered in a decomposing state inside a Tesla that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills in September 2025.
Prosecutors obtained text messages exchanged between Burke and Rivas Hernandez from April 22, 2025, the night before her phone activity ceased, indicating the time of her alleged murder. The messages reportedly revealed their sexual relationship, including child sexual abuse images found on Burke's phone. The filing describes the victim's jealousy over Burke's relationships with other women, as he led her to believe they had a future together. She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damaging information to end his career and destroy his life.
The court filing serves to outline the evidence prosecutors plan to present at a preliminary evidentiary hearing scheduled for May 26, where a judge will determine if there is probable cause to proceed to trial. The defense has not yet publicly presented its version of events.
The document alleges that Burke purchased two chainsaws online, which he used to cut apart the victim's body in an inflatable pool set up in his garage. DNA from the girl was later found at the scene. Prosecutors stated, "Defendant took horrifying measures to destroy and discard the victim's body." Burke then drove to Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County, approximately 110 miles northwest of his home, to dispose of evidence. The victim's passport was discovered there in January 2026. Burke returned home by April 24, 2025, and gave a radio interview promoting his debut full-length album, "Withered," which was released the following day.
Rivas Hernandez's body was so degraded that examiners could not determine her eye color. She had braces at the time of her death and a tattoo reading "Shhh...." on the inside of a finger, along with Burke's name. Two fingers were missing, as were parts of her arms and legs. The autopsy report indicated she died from penetrating wounds.
Prosecutors had not previously disclosed how they believed Rivas Hernandez was killed or provided details on their relationship. The victim's parents reported her missing from her home in Lake Elsinore, about 80 miles outside Los Angeles, in February 2024. After that report, Riverside County Sheriff's detectives contacted Burke, but he claimed he had only met her once and was unaware she was a minor. When she returned home in February 2024, her parents confiscated her cellphone, but Burke drove to her hometown and paid a friend $1,000 to provide her with a phone so they could communicate.
She was reported missing again in April 2024. The document states that during that year, she spent much of her time at Burke's home in the Hollywood Hills and traveled with him to Las Vegas, London, and Texas to meet his family. Defense attorneys requested that the court filing be sealed during a hearing on Wednesday, but Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo declined. They had no comment outside court.
Burke was arrested on April 16, 2026, and charged with first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14, and mutilating a dead body. He is eligible for the death penalty, though prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek it. Burke began making music for YouTube videos of the video game Fortnite as a teenager. His songs, a blend of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop, made him a phenomenon on TikTok, Instagram, SoundCloud, and Spotify. His top tracks, including the 2022 breakthrough "Romantic Homicide," have amassed over a billion plays. In 2023, he released two EPs and opened for SZA on tour. He performed at the Coachella music festival just weeks before prosecutors allege he killed Rivas Hernandez, and his album was released shortly after. He was on tour promoting the album in September 2025 when the body was discovered, and his name became publicly linked to the case. Seven months passed before his arrest.
