Los Angeles: D4vd Charged with Murder
D4vd faces first-degree murder and other charges in Los Angeles after officials linked a 2025 discovery in an impounded Tesla to a 14-year-old’s death.
Ayla Demirhan ·
Los Angeles, California — On Monday, April 20, 2026, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that first-degree murder charges have been filed against 21-year-old singer David Burke, who performs under the name D4vd, in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Officials said Burke was arrested last week after a months-long investigation tied to the discovery of Hernandez’s dismembered body in his impounded Tesla in September 2025. Prosecutors allege the remains were located in two bags inside the trunk of Burke’s abandoned vehicle, which had been impounded.
According to the District Attorney’s announcement, the case includes multiple allegations beyond the murder count. The charges described by prosecutors include continuous lewd and lascivious sexual acts with the victim while she was under 14, murder for financial gain to prevent exposure that prosecutors say threatened his music career, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Hernandez, who was described as a reported runaway, was last seen alive on April 23, 2025, at Burke’s Hollywood Hills home. Authorities later connected the investigation to the September 2025 discovery of her remains in the impounded Tesla, officials said.
Prosecutors said they plan to present physical, forensic, and digital evidence in support of the charges. The District Attorney’s office said Burke faces a maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty, while also stating it is reserving a decision on whether to seek capital punishment.
Burke’s attorneys have said he is innocent. They stated that evidence will show he did not murder Hernandez and was not the cause of her death.