New court documents have revealed chilling details about the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, allegedly committed by singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke. Prosecutors claim Burke used a chainsaw to dismember the teenager and a 'burn cage' to destroy evidence.
Alleged Murder and Cover-Up
Burke, 20, was charged with first-degree murder last week after the teen's body was found in the trunk of his Tesla. According to a preliminary trial brief filed on Wednesday, Burke knew Rivas Hernandez was underage and continued a sexual relationship with her. After they broke up in April 2025, Rivas Hernandez became jealous of Burke's relationships with other women and threatened to expose damaging information about their relationship, which could have ended his music career.
Prosecutors allege that on April 23, 2025, Burke sent an Uber to pick up Rivas Hernandez from her home in Lake Elsinore, California, around 8:40 p.m. She arrived at his rented Hollywood Hills home around 10:10 p.m. Shortly after, Burke stabbed her multiple times and let her bleed to death without calling for help.
Evidence Disposal
To cover his tracks, Burke allegedly sent a text message to Rivas Hernandez asking where she was. He then drove to Santa Barbara to dispose of evidence. The next morning, he attended a show interview. Over the following weeks, Burke ordered a shovel, a chainsaw, a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, and a blue inflatable pool from Amazon under the fake name 'Victoria Mendez.' He also ordered a 'burn cage' on July 7, 2025, to incinerate evidence.
Prosecutors claim Burke placed the victim's body in the inflatable pool to prevent blood from spilling, then used a chainsaw to cut off her limbs. He amputated her left ring and pinky fingers because her ring finger bore a tattoo of his name. Those fingers have never been recovered. He placed her head and torso in a cadaver bag and her limbs in a garbage bag, storing them in the front trunk of his Tesla.
Relationship and Background
Burke first met Rivas Hernandez in January 2011 when she was 11. They began a sexual relationship in November 2023 when she was 13 and Burke was 18. Her mother reported her missing three times in 2023. Burke denied knowing her age but had a photo of her yearbook on his phone. He continued pursuing her, even paying a classmate $1,000 to get her a phone after her family confiscated hers.
Throughout 2024, Rivas Hernandez spent weekends at Burke's Hollywood Hills home and traveled with him to Las Vegas, London, and Texas. Text exchanges referenced sex, pregnancy, abortion, and Plan B. They broke up in November 2024 but continued communicating.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous lewd acts with an individual under 14, and mutilating human remains. The special circumstances include lying in wait, financial gain, and murdering a witness. He faces life without parole or the death penalty. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday.
