Story perspectives

Singer Arrested for Murder, Child Abuse After Tesla Discovery

4/24/2026

Summary

Burke Arrested

Police arrested singer David Anthony Burke, 21, on April 16, 2026 for murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Investigators found Hernandez’s body in a Tesla trunk on September 8, 2025, the day after her 15th birthday.
Prosecutors charged Burke on April 20, 2026 with murder, child sexual abuse and unlawful mutilation, entering a not-guilty plea.
A May 1, 2026 hearing is set after prosecutors noted Burke’s iCloud holds terabytes of data, including one terabyte of child sexual-abuse images.

Summary

Prosecutors Accelerate Hearing

Prosecutors disclosed that three grand juries have heard witness testimony in the case.
Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said a police wiretap was used in the investigation.
Defense attorneys invoked a rare California right to a preliminary evidentiary hearing within ten days of arraignment, accelerating the usual schedule.
Victims’ parents Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez called Celeste “a beautiful, strong girl” and demanded justice.

Summary

Prosecutors Withhold

Prosecutors said over 40 terabytes of digital evidence exist and only about 30% was given to defense.
D4vd is housed at Twin Towers Correctional Facility because of his fame.
His iPhone contained a significant amount of child sexual-abuse material that will undergo forensic review.
After the body was found, final “Withered” tour shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles were cancelled, despite tickets opening for pre-sale the day she was last seen.

History

Historical Context

California’s 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act tightened timelines for removing children from foster care, a response to decades of abuse scandals. The state now oversees more than 60,000 foster youths, the nation’s largest cohort. That legislative legacy frames today’s prosecution of singer David Anthony Burke, whose iCloud stash of illicit images was uncovered by Los Angeles prosecutors.

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Burke Arrested

Police arrested singer David Anthony Burke, 21, on April 16, 2026 for murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Investigators found Hernandez’s body in a Tesla trunk on September 8, 2025, the day after her 15th birthday.
Prosecutors charged Burke on April 20, 2026 with murder, child sexual abuse and unlawful mutilation, entering a not-guilty plea.
A May 1, 2026 hearing is set after prosecutors noted Burke’s iCloud holds terabytes of data, including one terabyte of child sexual-abuse images.

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