Story perspectives

Prosecutors Charge d4vd with Murder, Dismemberment of Teen

7/22/2026

Summary

Burke Charged Murder

Prosecutors charged Burke (d4vd) with murder, child sexual abuse and unlawful mutilation for the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
He stabbed Rivas on April 23, 2025 and used two Amazon chainsaws to cut her body.
Police found the parts in a pool, a bag and a garbage bag inside his Tesla’s front trunk on September 8, 2025.
Burke pleaded not guilty, with attorney Blair Berk asserting evidence will prove his innocence.

Summary

Burke ’s Money Scheme

Prosecutors said financial manager Benjamin Greger testified Burke earned about $10 million to $11.5 million from recordings, merchandising and publishing.
Greger said Burke paid a $7,500 retainer and moved Texas properties to his mother Colleen to shield assets.
Defense lawyers requested a preliminary hearing three months after the arrest, which analysts view as a media-control tactic.
Prosecutors have not confirmed whether they will seek the death penalty, leaving the possible sentence uncertain.

History

Historical Context

After the 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial—an eight-month, 126-witness case that ended with a not-guilty verdict amid LAPD racial-bias scandals and a $33.5 million civil judgment—media scrutiny of celebrity defendants intensified. That legacy informs the 2025 prosecution of rapper Burkley, whose graphic evidence, asset-shielding tactics, and attorney Blair Berk’s media strategy echo Simpson’s high-profile defense led by Johnnie Cochran and Marcia Clark.

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Burke Charged Murder

Prosecutors charged Burke (d4vd) with murder, child sexual abuse and unlawful mutilation for the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
He stabbed Rivas on April 23, 2025 and used two Amazon chainsaws to cut her body.
Police found the parts in a pool, a bag and a garbage bag inside his Tesla’s front trunk on September 8, 2025.
Burke pleaded not guilty, with attorney Blair Berk asserting evidence will prove his innocence.

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