Romantic Homicide Singer D4vd’s Case- Updates and What You Need to Know 

LA County District Attorney postponed singer and songwriter d4vd’s preliminary hearing until June, following his defense attorney’s request for more time to review the evidence detailed in the prosecution’s brief. 

Last Tuesday, May 12, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo agreed to postpone until June 29, according to an article in ABC. 

The DA’s office originally scheduled the hearing for May 26. Defense attorney Blaire Berk requested more time to review the detailed and gruesome timeline that the prosecution prepared for the trial. 

The singer’s real name is David Anthony Burke, and he is currently 21. Authorities charged Burke with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in April of 2026. They allegedly discovered her remains in his Tesla on Sept. 8, 2025. 

Authorities discovered the body in the front trunk of the car in a tow lot. Authorities had responded to the tow lot after complaints of a foul odor coming from the car.

Police allegedly found the body decomposing and dismembered, with severed limbs in one bag and the head and torso in another bag. The vehicle was allegedly registered in the singer’s name and was towed three days earlier, from nearby Burke’s residence in the Hollywood Hills, according to the prosecution’s court filing. 

Authorities identified the body shortly after as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl from Lake Elsinore. She was last seen alive on her way to Burke’s residence in late April.

D4vd had cancelled his upcoming tour dates in the fall of 2025 following the identification of the body, according to an article in ABC. 

“There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing right now,” said attorney Patrick Steinfeld to the LA Times on behalf of the family. “They still have bills to pay and jobs they go to every day. All they want is time to grieve and heal.” 

A Timeline of the Events

Celeste and Burke met in January of 2022, when Celeste was 11 years old. They allegedly began their sexual relationship in November of 2023, according to the prosecution’s brief. 

An article in Fox gave details of the timeline outlined in the prosecution’s brief. 

Celeste’s family reported her missing multiple times throughout 2024. One such incident involved a welfare check during which authorities informed Burke she was only 13 at the time. 

The prosecutor’s brief states that Burke allegedly killed Celeste on April 23, 2025. Subpoenaed texts revealed an argument the night before, in which she threatened to go public with information about their relationship. 

Two days later, on April 25, Burke released his debut album “Withered.”

In the following weeks and months, Burke allegedly acquired a chainsaw, a shovel, a burn cage, a body bag and an inflatable pool under an alias. 

According to the same timeline, authorities arrested Burke in Hollywood on April 16, 2026, and charged him with murder, sexual abuse and mutilation of a body. 

A Breakdown of the Charges

The murder charge against Burke includes the special circumstance allegations of lying in wait, murder for financial gain and killing a witness in a criminal investigation, according to an article in ABC. 

Burke invited Celeste to his home on the day of the alleged murder. This resulted in the lying in wait allegation, according to District Attorney Nathan Hochman.

Hochman states that the financial allegation stems from Celeste’s threats to go public with their relationship. This would have jeopardized his pending album release and tour. 

Celeste witnessed firsthand the ongoing crime of Burke’s alleged grooming and sexual relationship with a minor. To kill her would be to kill a witness.

Prosecution additionally charged Burke with one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and mutilation of human remains. 

In addition to the severing of her limbs, Celeste’s left ring and pinkie finger were missing from her body. Rumor has it that she had “David” tattooed on her left ring finger. 

Burke pleaded not guilty to all the detailed charges. 

The Prosecution’s Evidence

In the prosection’s court document, Burke allegedly purchased tools necessary to dismember and dispose of the victim’s body. 

Forensics experts collected biological samples in Burke’s garage area, which tested positive for blood, according to the filing. Further DNA analysis determined that the blood samples matched the victim’s genetic profile. 

The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office released Celeste’s autopsy in April. The autopsy stated that she had died of “multiple penetrating injuries” with an object. 

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman revealed to the judge that they had found a “significant amount of child pornography” on an iPhone owned by Burke, according to ABC.

According to prosecutors, one of Celeste’s messages to Burke stated: “all we do is have sex and just hang out, man, I want more than that for myself.”

After her family reported her missing in 2024, upon her return, Celeste’s parents had taken away her cellphone. Burke then drove to Lake Elsinore and paid a classmate of Celeste’s $1,000 to give her a new phone, according to prosecutors. 

The night before her alleged murder, the two fought about Burke’s relationships with other women after promising her a future. “She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damaging information about her relationship with defendant to end his career and destroy his life,” prosecutors wrote. They also noted that his debut album was scheduled to be released a few days later. 

The court document states that on April 23, 2025, the singer sent an Uber to Lake Elsinore at about 8:40 p.m. and brought her to his Hollywood Hills home around 10:10 p.m.

“Let us be clear, 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,” defense attorney Blair Berk said. “There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence.”