Singer D4vd, charged in Celeste Rivas Hernandez murder, expected in court

TikTok star and singer D4vd was expected to appear in court Thursday after he was charged earlier this week with first-degree murder and other crimes in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, was arrested April 16 in the months-long investigation that began after decomposing remains were discovered in September 2025 inside the front storage area of the Tesla, which was registered to D4vd. The car was impounded after it had been parked for an extended period in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood not far from a rental property where Burke had been living.

Police said Celeste’s death likely occurred in the spring of last year.

Burke was charged Monday with first-degree murder, including special circumstances allegations that can increase sentencing penalties. He also faces one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his initial court appearance.

Celeste, who disappeared in the Lake Elsinore area in 2024, was identified through forensics. She was last seen April 5, 2024, in the western Riverside County community.

Details about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance at the age of 13 were not immediately available.

Celeste’s brother told NBCLA last year that family members, who still live in Lake Elsinore, were aware that the girl knew D4vd.

Celeste’s family issued a statement days after the charges were filed.

“We would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office for their hard work,” a statement by Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, the girl’s parents, said. “We would also like to thank the people of Lake Elsinore for all their support.”

Her decomposed body was found Sept. 8 after workers at Hollywood Tow reported a strong odor coming from the Tesla registered to the singer. Officers opened the front trunk, also known as a frunk, and found the remains in two cadaver bags.

They were found a day after what would have been Celeste’s 15th birthday.

The Tesla was impounded by LA parking enforcement officers after someone reported it was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors say it had been parked for more than a month.

More details about events leading to her death were provided at an April 20 news conference with District Attorney Nathan Hochman when he announced charges. Hochman and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Celeste visited Burke’s Hollywood Hills home April 23, 2025, but was never “heard from” again.

Burke faces several special circumstances allegations, which can increase penalties at sentencing, including lying in wait, murder for financial gain, murdering a witnesses in an investigation and an allegation that Burke personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a sharp instrument, to commit the crime, Hochman said.

The financial gain allegation stemmed from the singer’s music career, which was being threatened by his alleged sexual relationship with the underage girl, Hochman said. Celeste was considered the key witness in that investigation, warranting the allegation of murdering a witness, he said.

“As the evidence will show, the financial gain was for Mr. Burke to maintain a lucrative musical career that Celeste was threatening that night,” Hochman said.

Hochman said possible sentences, if Burke is convicted as charged, include life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. A decision will be made at a later date.

Burke’s attorneys, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter, issued a statement after the announcement.

“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 attorneys said. “We will vigorously defend David’s innocence”

The “Romantic Homicide” singer’s world tour was in Minneapolis at the time of the discovery with a stop in Kansas City the next day. A representative told NBCLA at the time that D4vd was cooperating with authorities in their investigation.

In November, an LAPD source with direct knowledge of the investigation told NBC4 Investigates that the Houston-raised artist has not been cooperative in the investigation.

In February Burke’s parents and brother, who live in Texas, asked a judge to block LA grand jury subpoenas for their testimony, and the court there filed the grand jury documents in an open court file. The judge there declined to intervene, and it appeared the family members were compelled to come to Los Angeles and appear before the grand jury in February or March, but prosecutors declined to discuss what happened, citing the secrecy of grand jury proceedings prior to an indictment.

D4vd had not previously been publicly identified as a suspect in the teen’s death, but law enforcement sources told NBC4 Investigates months prior that he was the focus of the investigation.

Law enforcement sources also told NBC4 Investigates that more than one person may have been involved in Celeste’s death and the attempted disposal of her body.

Citing the ongoing investigation, the LA County Department of Medical Examiner removed public information about the case last November, which indicated at the time that Celeste’s cause of death was still undetermined.

D4vd is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame with viral hits on TikTok, where he has 3.8 million followers. That success led to signings with Darkroom and Interscope Records.

Born in Queens, New York, Burke moved to Texas in his early teens and gained a following on YouTube playing Fortnite and other online games. He started creating original music, some of which went viral on TikTok.

D4vd released his debut album “Withered” in April 2025 and embarked on a world tour.

In an interview on the “Zach Sang Show,” D4vd said the 4 substituted for the a in his name was for search-engine optimization and a representation of four cinematic universes with various characters that he was creating.