LOS ANGELES — Rising alt-pop singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke) pleaded not guilty on Monday, April 20, 2026, to a series of horrific charges, including the first-degree murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The arraignment follows a months-long investigation into the discovery of the girl’s dismembered remains inside the singer’s apparently abandoned Tesla Model Y in September 2025.
The 21-year-old artist appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom behind glass, dressed in black, where a judge ordered that he remain held without bail pending further proceedings.
Prosecutors from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office have laid out a grim timeline and a potential motive for the slaying:
- Severe Charges: Burke faces counts of first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14, and mutilation of a body.
- Alleged Motive: Authorities allege that Burke killed Rivas Hernandez to “protect a career on the rise.” The girl had reportedly threatened to report their illegal sexual relationship, which prosecutors say began when she was just 13 years old.
- Special Circumstances: The murder charge includes special circumstances—lying in wait, financial gain, and witness silencing—that could make Burke eligible for the death penalty if convicted.
The investigation reveals that the victim had been missing for a significant period before the grisly discovery:
- September 2024: Rivas Hernandez is reported missing by her family in Lake Elsinore, CA, at age 13.
- April 23, 2025: Authorities believe the victim was killed with a sharp object at Burke’s Hollywood Hills home. This occurred just one day after she was last seen alive and two days before the release of Burke’s debut album, Withered.
- September 8, 2025: Her dismembered remains are found in a towed Tesla registered to Burke, a day after she would have turned 15.
- April 16, 2026: Burke is arrested following a secret grand jury probe.
Lead defense attorney Blair Berk entered the not guilty pleas on Burke’s behalf, stating, “We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez.” Berk has requested a public preliminary hearing as soon as possible to examine the evidence collected by the state.
Meanwhile, District Attorney Nathan Hochman described the case as a “parent’s nightmare.” The victim’s parents were present at the hearing but did not address the media.
Before the allegations surfaced, D4vd was a breakout star for Gen Z, known for his viral hit “Romantic Homicide.” He had previously signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, though Interscope reportedly dropped him in 2025 as the investigation intensified. The singer had continued to tour even after the body was discovered, only canceling shows once his status as a “target” of the investigation became public knowledge in early 2026.
A follow-up hearing to determine the next steps for the evidentiary phase is scheduled for Thursday.