What to KnowSinger D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, who was reported missing in the spring of 2025. The Lake Elsinore girl’s decomposed body was found Sept. 8 in the front trunk of a Tesla impounded at a Los Angeles tow yard. Police said Celeste’s death likely occurred in the spring of last year.The car was impounded after someone reported it was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors say it had been parked for more than a month. The medical examiner’s office listed Celeste’s cause of death as multiple penetrating injuries caused by an object or objects.
A multi-day hearing to determine whether singer D4vd will stand trial for the death of Southern California teen Celeste Rivas will continue Wednesday a day after some of the murder case investigators took the stand in a Los Angeles courtroom.
The 21-year-old performer, whose real name is David Burke, was charged with first-degree murder, including special circumstances allegations that can increase sentencing penalties. He also faces one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In the first day of a pre-trial hearing, prosecutors presented evidence to support those charges that included graphic images of Celeste’s body parts, tattoos on Burke and Rivas Hernandez that prosecutors said appeared to match, and Burke’s digital footprint, including Amazon purchase records.
Celeste, who disappeared in the Lake Elsinore area in 2024, was identified through forensics. She was last seen April 5, 2024, in the western Riverside County community.
Celeste’s parents attended Tuesday’s hearing, where prosecutors began by playing law enforcement body camera video of authorities questioning Burke about Celeste’s disappearance.
“She told me she was 18,” the singer said in the video from February 2024. “Everybody’s telling me she was 13.”
The singer ordered chainsaws via Amazon, according to prosecutors. Eric Leonard reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Burke was arrested in April in the months-long investigation that began after decomposing remains were discovered in September 2025 inside the front storage area of the Tesla, which was registered to D4vd. The car was impounded after it had been parked for an extended period in a Hollywood Hills neighborhood not far from a rental property where Burke had been living.
Police said Celeste’s death likely occurred in the spring of last year. The medical examiner’s office said the cause of death was multiple penetrating injuries caused by and object or objects, which indicates a stabbing.
Burke, shackled at the waist after a judge ordered his handcuffs be removed during proceedings, listened to the testimony of detectives Wednesday who described finding Celeste’s remains. At least once, prosecutors signaled for Celeste’s family to look down before the gruesome images were presented in the courtroom.
The Tesla registered to Burke was impounded by LA parking enforcement officers after someone reported it was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors say it had been parked for more than a month.
Her decomposed body was found Sept. 8 after workers at Hollywood Tow reported a strong odor coming from the Tesla registered to the singer. Officers opened the front trunk, also known as a frunk, and found the remains in two cadaver bags.
They were found a day after what would have been Celeste’s 15th birthday.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez is pictured on a missing person poster.
Detective Josh Byers also described an initial examination of the remains when he noticed a tattoo that read “shhh” on Celeste’s right index finger. He also noted that her left ring finer and pinky finger were missing.
When detectives arrested Burke at a Hollywood Hills home, Byers said he noticed that Burke had a tattoo similar to the one found on Celeste’s finger.
“He had a tattoo of the name ‘Celeste’ on his left ring finger, and he also had another tattoo that said ‘shhh’ on his right hand,” the detective said.
Celeste’s family issued a statement days after the charges were filed.
A judge is set to decide at a hearing Tuesday whether there is enough evidence to put singer D4vd on trial in the killing and dismemberment of a 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Authorities said she had threatened to expose their relationship. Brittany Hope reports for the NBC4 News at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
“We would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office for their hard work,” a statement by Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, the girl’s parents, said. “We would also like to thank the people of Lake Elsinore for all their support.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney said the preliminary hearing will take about four to five days.
“Nothing normal about this case,” said NBCLA legal analyst Royal Oakes. “First, why are we hear now? It’s only been a few months since he was arrested. Normally, the defense says we need months or years to get ready for the preliminary hearing. They thought on the defense that the prosecution didn’t have the goods, didn’t have the receipts, but as we see Nathan Hochman is eager to take up the whole we with gruesome details.”
About the charges, timeline of events
More details about the timeline of events leading to her death were provided at an April 20 news conference with Hochman when he announced charges. Hochman and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Celeste visited Burke’s Hollywood Hills home April 23, 2025, but was never “heard from” again.
The criminal complaint alleges that the murder occurred on or about April 23, 2025.
Burke faces several special circumstances allegations, which can increase penalties at sentencing, including lying in wait, murder for financial gain, murdering a witnesses in an investigation and an allegation that Burke personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a sharp instrument, to commit the crime, Hochman said.
The financial gain allegation stemmed from the singer’s music career, which was being threatened by his alleged sexual relationship with the underage girl, Hochman said. Celeste was considered the key witness in that investigation, warranting the allegation of murdering a witness, he said.
“As the evidence will show, the financial gain was for Mr. Burke to maintain a lucrative musical career that Celeste was threatening that night,” Hochman said.
Prosecutors told a judge at a hearing in mid-April that devices belonging to Burke contained a “significant amount” of child pornography.
Hochman said possible sentences, if Burke is convicted as charged, include life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. A decision will be made at a later date.
Burke’s attorneys, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter, issued a statement after the announcement.
“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,” the attorneys said. “We will vigorously defend David’s innocence”
The “Romantic Homicide” singer’s world tour was in Minneapolis at the time of the discovery with a stop in Kansas City the next day. A representative told NBCLA at the time that D4vd was cooperating with authorities in their investigation.
In November, an LAPD source with direct knowledge of the investigation told NBC4 Investigates that the Houston-raised artist has not been cooperative in the investigation.
D4vd is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame with viral hits on TikTok, where he has 3.8 million followers. That success led to signings with Darkroom and Interscope Records.
Born in Queens, New York, Burke moved to Texas in his early teens and gained a following on YouTube playing Fortnite and other online games. He started creating original music, some of which went viral on TikTok.
D4vd released his debut album “Withered” in April 2025 and embarked on a world tour.
In an interview on the “Zach Sang Show,” D4vd said the 4 substituted for the a in his name was for search-engine optimization and a representation of four cinematic universes with various characters that he was creating.