Musician Charged in Teen's Slaying
Singer D4vd is charged with murder, sexual abuse, and corpse mutilation of a 14-year-old, with prosecutors alleging dismemberment and cover-up attempts.
Ayla Demirhan ·
David Anthony Burke, known as the singer D4vd, faces charges in Los Angeles County Superior Court related to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Prosecutors allege Burke dismembered the victim with a chainsaw and attempted to conceal the crime, according to a court filing made public on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
Burke, 21, is charged with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a minor, and mutilating a corpse. He entered a plea of not guilty last week. Prosecutors contend Burke killed Hernandez in April 2025 after she threatened to expose their alleged sexual relationship, which began when she was 13, and potentially damage his music career.
The prosecution's nine-page brief, filed by Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, details that Burke allegedly stabbed Hernandez to death and subsequently ordered chainsaws, body bags, an inflatable pool, and a shovel to dispose of the body. The filing also states that Burke amputated two of Hernandez's fingers to remove a tattoo that linked her to him.
Hernandez's body was discovered in the trunk of Burke's Tesla in September 2025, with an autopsy report confirming stab wounds as the cause of death and noting the dismemberment and missing fingers.