LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors have revealed new and disturbing details in the case against singer D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, accusing him of the brutal murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. In a court document filed Wednesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office outlined evidence suggesting Burke stabbed the teenager multiple times and then attempted to dismember her body to conceal the crime.
Relationship and Alleged Abuse
The filing provides the first detailed account of the relationship between Burke and the victim. According to prosecutors, Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 years old. He allegedly began sexually abusing her when she was 13 and he was 18. The abuse continued until her death, which occurred when she threatened to expose their inappropriate relationship, potentially ruining his music career.
“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,” the document states.
Discovery of the Body
Rivas Hernandez's body was found in a state of advanced decomposition inside a Tesla that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills in September of last year. The remains were 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, as well as Burke's name. Two fingers were missing, along with parts of her arms and legs.
Evidence and Text Messages
Prosecutors obtained text messages exchanged between Burke and Rivas Hernandez from April 22, 2025, the night before all her phone activity ceased. They believe she was killed that night. Additionally, child sexual abuse images of her were found on Burke's phone.
“The messages reveal the victim’s jealousy over defendant’s relationships with other women, as defendant led her to believe they had a future together. She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damaging information about her relationship with defendant to end his career and destroy his life,” the document explains.
Dismemberment and Evidence Destruction
The court filing alleges that Burke purchased two chainsaws online and used them to cut apart Rivas Hernandez's body in an inflatable pool. The girl's DNA was found in his garage, where prosecutors claim the dismemberment took place. “Defendant took horrifying measures to destroy and discard the victim’s body,” prosecutors said in the brief.
Background and Missing Person Reports
Rivas Hernandez's parents first reported her missing from their home in Lake Elsinore, about 80 miles outside Los Angeles, in February 2024. After that report, Riverside County Sheriff's detectives contacted Burke, who claimed he had only met her once and did not know she was a minor. After she returned home that February, her parents confiscated her cellphone, but Burke drove to her hometown and paid a friend of Rivas Hernandez $1,000 to provide her with a phone so they could continue communicating.
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.
Legal Proceedings
Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. His lawyers maintain his innocence, asserting he did not cause Rivas Hernandez's death. At a hearing Wednesday, defense attorneys requested that the court document be sealed, but Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo declined the motion. The defense had no comment outside court.
