David Anthony Burke — the 21-year-old alt-pop star known as D4vd — will be formally charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, following his arrest in Los Angeles County last week. Last September, Hernandez's decomposing body parts were discovered in an abandoned Tesla registered to Burke that had been parked in the Hollywood Hills for over a month. District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a press conference today that the "brutal and horrific murder" occurred on April 23, 2025, two days before the release of D4vd’s debut album Withered.
Hochman said Burke's murder charge comes with special circumstances, including lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain, and murdering a witness to an investigation — that witness being Hernandez, with whom Burke was reportedly engaging in "lewd and lascivious sexual acts" in a plot to "maintain his very lucrative music career" that Hernandez had allegedly threatened. Burke will face a maximum prison sentence of life without the possibility of parole; Hochman said he may also face death penalty. Prosecutors have also accused Burke of mutilating human remains.
Hernandez was reported missing last spring, and her dismembered remains — including torso and limbs — were found in two bags in the front trunk of Burke's Tesla. In the weeks after her body was discovered, fans began circulating photos and videos that appeared to show her and Burke together. Hernandez’s mother told police that she had a boyfriend named David, and the pair reportedly had matching tattoos. Meanwhile, Burke continued playing a few more shows, until police searched his home in late September. His live events were canceled and Interscope suspended plans for a deluxe edition of his album.
