US musician D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a teenage girl who vanished last year, officials say. The star, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposing remains were found in September in a Tesla registered to his Texas address.
Burke, 21, also was charged with murder for financial gain and with murder of a witness to an investigation, the Los Angeles district attorney said.
In a statement after his arrest last week, his lawyers said 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 Los Angeles County DA's office confirmed that D4vd is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in downtown Los Angeles and cannot comment on grand jury investigations.
During a press conference on Monday, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Rivas Hernandez went to Burke's house in the Hollywood Hills on April 23, 2025, and she was never heard from again.
Her dismembered and decomposed remains were located on September 8, 2025, in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.
Hochman announced three sets of charges against the singer, including first-degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait, murder for financial gain, and murdering a witness to an investigation related to sexual acts committed by Burke.
Rivas Hernandez's remains, found in a cadaver bag, were severely decomposed, complicating the investigation. Authorities clarified that the conditions of the remains hampered determining a cause of death and emphasized the potential for seeking the death penalty in the case.
Burke, from Houston, Texas, known for indie-pop hits like Here With Me and Romantic Homicide, has not publicly commented since the charges were filed. He initially gained popularity through social media and released his debut album in April 2025. Following the discovery of the remains, he canceled his world tour and withdrew from public appearances.
Burke, 21, also was charged with murder for financial gain and with murder of a witness to an investigation, the Los Angeles district attorney said.
In a statement after his arrest last week, his lawyers said 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 Los Angeles County DA's office confirmed that D4vd is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in downtown Los Angeles and cannot comment on grand jury investigations.
During a press conference on Monday, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Rivas Hernandez went to Burke's house in the Hollywood Hills on April 23, 2025, and she was never heard from again.
Her dismembered and decomposed remains were located on September 8, 2025, in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.
Hochman announced three sets of charges against the singer, including first-degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait, murder for financial gain, and murdering a witness to an investigation related to sexual acts committed by Burke.
Rivas Hernandez's remains, found in a cadaver bag, were severely decomposed, complicating the investigation. Authorities clarified that the conditions of the remains hampered determining a cause of death and emphasized the potential for seeking the death penalty in the case.
Burke, from Houston, Texas, known for indie-pop hits like Here With Me and Romantic Homicide, has not publicly commented since the charges were filed. He initially gained popularity through social media and released his debut album in April 2025. Following the discovery of the remains, he canceled his world tour and withdrew from public appearances.
