Singer D4vd Pleads Not Guilty to Murder of Teen Girl Found in His Car
American singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in the death of a teenage girl who disappeared last year. The 21-year-old alt-pop artist was arraigned on Monday afternoon, shortly after the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced the charges against him.
Details of the Case and Charges
Burke is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposing remains were discovered in September 2025 in a Tesla registered to his Texas address. The girl was reported missing by her family in 2024 when she was 13 years old, and authorities state she was 14 at the time of her death.
During a press conference, Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman revealed that Burke engaged in a sexual relationship with Celeste. He faces a murder charge with special circumstances, along with charges for continuous lewd and lascivious sexual acts with an individual under 14, and mutilating human remains. Hochman described the killing as a brutal and horrific murder.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
The arrest and charges mark the most significant development in the case since the teen's remains were found in Burke's vehicle last September. Attorneys for the Houston-born singer asserted his innocence in a statement released after homicide detectives arrested him on Thursday at a home in Hollywood.
Let us be clear – the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death, the lawyers said.
Timeline and Evidence
According to court documents, on April 23, 2025, Rivas Hernandez went to Burke's house in the Hollywood Hills and was never heard from again. Her dismembered and decomposed remains were found on September 8, 2025, in the front trunk of the Tesla. When authorities removed a bag from the vehicle, they discovered severed arms and legs inside.
A parent's nightmare is a situation where your daughter goes out one night and never comes back, Hochman commented during the press conference.
Additional Charges and Potential Penalties
Hochman announced three sets of charges against the singer:
- First-degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait.
- An additional special circumstance of alleged murder for financial gain, with Hochman accusing Burke of murdering the 14-year-old to maintain his lucrative musical career that Celeste was threatening on that particular night.
- Murdering a witness to an investigation, as evidence shows Rivas Hernandez was a witness in an investigation of sexual acts committed by Burke.
The charges also involve numerous sexual acts with a minor and the mutilation of a body. The District Attorney's office could eventually seek the death penalty in the case, Hochman added.
