Full Breakdown
Singer D4vd Charged with Murder in Teen’s Death
7/24/2026, 8:38:09 PM
Core Event and Charges
At a Los Angeles preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented evidence that David Burke—known professionally as the singer D4vd—ordered a body bag, two chainsaws, an inflatable pool and a shovel through an online alias and used them to dismember 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez after allegedly stabbing her. Homicide detective Joshua Byers testified that the items were found in Burke’s garage and that a blood stain there matched the victim’s DNA. The victim’s decomposed torso was recovered from the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke. Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Special circumstances—including lying in wait, financial gain and murder of a witness—could make the case eligible for the death penalty, though prosecutors have not confirmed whether they will seek it.
Background & Context
Prosecutors allege Burke began a sexual relationship with Rivas Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18, and killed her after she threatened to expose the relationship, which they say would have damaged his music career. A body-camera video from February 2024 shows Burke telling officers the girl had told him she was 18, while others claimed she was 13. The victim’s mother, Mercedes Martínez, and father, Jesús Rivas, attended the hearing and watched graphic images of the dismembered remains.
Timeline of Legal Proceedings
- May 1 (scheduled): Original start date for the preliminary hearing.
- May 26 (scheduled): First rescheduling of the hearing.
- June 29 (deadline): New hearing date set after prosecutors disclosed over 10 terabytes of digital evidence, with the total discovery expected to exceed 40 terabytes.
- June 17 (occurred): Status hearing where the defense requested a further delay.
- July 21 (occurred): Preliminary hearing began, lasting three to five days.
Official Statements & Responses
Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman presented forensic photos and emphasized the probative value of the evidence. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the office believes it has met the probable-cause burden and indicated that sentencing, including any potential death-penalty consideration, will be addressed after a conviction.
Verbatim Quotes
- “She told me she was 18,” — David Burke
- “When — we do not predict if — when he is convicted, we will then be seeking the sentence that we are allowed to seek by order of the law and we will let you know at a future date whether or not that sentence will also include the death penalty,” — Nathan Hochman, county district attorney
