D4vd charged with first‑degree murder in teen’s Tesla death

Singer D4vd has been formally charged with first‑degree murder in the killing of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered remains were discovered in a Tesla registered to him in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges on April 19, 2026, saying investigators believe the teen was murdered and her body mutilated before being hidden in D4vd’s car.

Who is involved

D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is a 21‑year‑old singer who rose to fame through viral lo‑fi and R&B tracks on TikTok and streaming platforms. Celeste Rivas Hernandez, known publicly as Celeste Rivas, was 13 when she disappeared from her California home in May 2024 and had turned 14 by the time law enforcement identified her remains.

Her body was found on September 8, 2025, in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke, at a tow yard in the Hollywood Hills that had been called due to an odor complaint. Forensic filings describe her remains as “severely decomposed, dismembered,” with her head and torso in one bag and her arms and legs in another.

What the charges say

Los Angeles prosecutors say they have charged D4vd with first‑degree murder, as well as lewd or lascivious acts involving a person under 14 and charged him with mutilating a body. Court documents and filings indicate that investigators do not believe Celeste’s death was accidental.

Authorities have not released a full timeline of how or when Celeste died, but the case has moved through a grand jury review and has now been advanced to formal criminal proceedings. Hochman told reporters that the case has been “extraordinarily challenging,” citing the condition of the remains and the amount of digital evidence collected.

How investigators built the case

Public reporting suggests that investigators leaned heavily on digital evidence, surveillance shot, and a trail of social‑media activity and online interactions. A video clip that surfaced in September 2025 showed Celeste alive after she had already been reported missing, deepening questions about the window between her disappearance and her death.

Law enforcement also followed a path from D4vd’s online presence and live streams to a Hollywood Hills home where he was taken into custody on April 16, 2026. A squad of local and federal officers forcibly entered the residence, and he was held without bail while prosecutors reviewed whether to file charges.

Legal and public fallout

D4vd has entered a plea of not guilty, and his defense team—attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter—has said that the evidence will show he did not kill Celeste Rivas Hernandez and was not the cause of her death. In a brief statement, they said, “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.”

Celeste’s family has broken their silence since the charges were filed, calling for justice and demanding that the public keep pressure on the system. In a statement covered by Pakistani and international outlets, they said, “Justice for Celeste” and urged people to remember her as a young person whose life was cut short.

Broader context online

The case has sparked intense debate on social media and streaming‑focused platforms, where younger fans built much of D4vd’s audience. Some listeners have questioned how someone whose music was often tagged as “sad,” “melancholy,” or “lo‑fi” could be tied to such a violent crime, while others argue that the case underscores how little fans often know about artists behind the content.

For now, the case remains in the early stages of the criminal‑justice process. D4vd is being held in Los Angeles County custody, and his next court dates are expected to focus on discovery, evidence sharing, and potential motions before any trial.

As this high-profile case moves into the courtroom, the contrast between D4vd’s meteoric rise to fame and the gravity of these "brutal and horrific" allegations continues to grip the public consciousness. With the next court dates set to focus on the sharing of critical forensic and digital evidence, the legal battle ahead promises to be as intense as the investigation that preceded it.

While the Rivas Hernandez family awaits justice for Celeste, the music world remains in shock, left to grapple with the disturbing reality behind the viral artist they once championed.