In brief
Family members of the 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez have called for the death penalty after the victim’s dismembered body was discovered in a Tesla tied to singer D4vd’s address. D4vd, the stage name of David Anthony Burke, remains in court on murder charges and has pleaded not guilty. The family’s statement insists execution would be the only fitting punishment, citing the crime’s brutality and the singer’s alleged abuse. A civil lawsuit seeking damages for burial and funeral expenses has also been filed. The case underscores California’s temporary death‑penalty ban and the growing public debate over punitive justice.
Los Angeles, CA – In a grim turn of events, the family of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez is pressing for the death penalty against singer‑turned‑criminal D4vd after the teen’s dismembered remains were found in the trunk of a Tesla linked to the singer’s address.
D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has been charged with murder and has pleaded not guilty. Despite California’s temporary ban on capital punishment, Hernandez’s family said that execution would be the “perfect” outcome for a “human being devoid of feelings and conscience.”
The family filed a civil suit on Friday seeking monetary damages, including burial and funeral costs. They claim Burke caused wrongful death, false imprisonment and sexual assault against the minor, and that the singer’s actions culminated in her death at his Hollywood Hills home.
Court documents detail a tense 16‑month relationship between the victim and the accused, with nearly 10,000 exchanged texts and multiple sexual encounters. The parents allege that Burke’s influence and manipulative control led to the tragic outcome.
The civil complaint also names Burke’s management entities, mother, and a live‑in security guard, alleging that these parties enabled his isolation and facilitated his travel and housing.
A judge last July found probable cause for Burke to stand trial on murder, and prosecutors are still evaluating the possibility of a death‑penalty plea. Burke’s public defender says his defense will “take his circumstances seriously and carefully examine the evidence.”
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