David Burke, known publicly as the rising singer-songwriter D4vd, was arrested April 16 on suspicion of the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was 14-years old at the time of her death. Burke went viral on the popular platform TikTok in 2022, with hit songs “Here with me” and “Romantic homicide” with both songs having over a billion streams on spotify.
The case dates back to early September 2025, when the victim’s remains were discovered dismembered inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke. At the time of the discovery, Burke was on tour and continued performing for a short period before ultimately canceling the remaining dates as the situation began to unfold publicly. The timeline surrounding these events has since become a central focus of the ongoing investigation.
Burke has been charged with first-degree murder. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or, depending on how the case proceeds in Los Angeles, the death penalty. He has pleaded not guilty. If prosecutors pursue capital punishment and it is imposed, he would be the first individual in California to receive a death sentence since 2006.
Rivas Hernandez would have turned 15 years old on Sept. 8 — just one day after her body was found — adding another tragic layer to the case. Authorities have stated that her remains appeared to have been in the vehicle for an extended period prior to discovery, raising further questions about the timeline and circumstances surrounding her death. She was last seen alive on April 23, 2025.
Prosecutors have also alleged that Burke was involved in an inappropriate and illegal relationship with Hernandez, a minor. According to these claims, the alleged motive may be connected to concerns that she was willing to report the relationship to authorities. This aspect of the case is expected to play a significant role as it moves forward, although these allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Burke’s defense team continues to deny the allegations as the investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to establish a clear timeline and determine the full circumstances surrounding Rivas Hernandez’s death.
Additional evidence has been introduced, with prosecutors alleging that Burke’s phone contained approximately 40 terabytes of explicit content involving minors. In response to the case, prior collaborations are being undone, as artists he previously worked with are removing songs that feature him. Meanwhile, Epic Games has begun issuing refunds to players who purchased cosmetics tied to Fortnite collaborations, effectively blacklisting him from the platform.
