US prosecutors accuse singer D4vd of killing teen in Los Angeles

Prosecutors allege that singer d4vd murdered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, stabbing her multiple times before dismembering her body with chain saws in his garage, according to a detailed court filing released Wednesday. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the evidence would show that the artist, whose legal name is David Burke, met the victim when she was 11 and began sexually abusing her at 13, before killing her when she threatened to expose their relationship. According to the filing, Burke allegedly stabbed the girl shortly after she arrived at his Hollywood home, then watched as she bled to death. Prosecutors claim he acted to prevent her from damaging his music career. Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges, with his lawyers maintaining he did not cause her death. The victim’s decomposing body was discovered in a Tesla towed from the Hollywood Hills in September last year. Prosecutors said messages recovered from Burke’s phone indicate a sexual relationship, including alleged child abuse material. Investigators said the messages showed the victim believed they had a future together and became upset over his relationships with other women, eventually threatening to expose him. The filing alleges Burke arranged a rideshare for her on April 23, 2025, from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles. Communication between them stopped after she reached his home, with prosecutors claiming he later sent messages to create a false timeline. Authorities said Burke purchased two chainsaws online and used them to dismember the body in his garage, where the victim’s DNA was later found. He allegedly disposed of evidence during multiple trips to Lake Cachuma, where her passport was recovered in January. Prosecutors further claim that on April 24, the day after the alleged killing, Burke gave a radio interview and hosted a record-release event for his album Withered. The filing states he kept the body in his Tesla and misled acquaintances about a foul smell. Due to decomposition, examiners could not determine basic physical details of the victim. Parts of her body were missing. Authorities said the victim had first been reported missing in February 2024. Detectives contacted Burke at the time, but he denied knowing she was a minor. After she returned home, her parents took her phone, but Burke allegedly paid a friend to provide her with another device to stay in contact. She was reported missing again in April 2024 and is believed to have spent extended periods at his home and travelled with him. The document was filed ahead of a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 26, where a judge will decide whether the case proceeds to trial. Defence lawyers unsuccessfully sought to seal the filing. Burke was arrested on April 16 and faces charges including first-degree murder, sexual offences involving a minor, and mutilation of a body. Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty. The singer rose to fame through music shared online, with his 2022 track Romantic Homicide gaining widespread popularity. He later performed at Coachella and toured with SZA.

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