Story perspectives

Burke Faces Wrongful-Death Suit Over Rivas’s Death

9/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

David Anthony Burke faces a wrongful-death lawsuit by Celeste Rivas’s family.
The suit, filed September 8 2025, names Josh Marshall, Colleen Burke and guard Sheldon Jacques.
Plaintiffs allege David Anthony Burke arranged Rivas’s transport, hired guard, and should have known of sexual exploitation.
David Anthony Burke faces first-degree murder, child sexual abuse under 14, and unlawful mutilation charges.
Rivas’s body was found in David Anthony Burke’s Tesla trunk on September 8 2025 in Los Angeles.

History

Historical Context

After the 1994 civil suit by Jordan Chandler’s family, Michael Jackson’s estate paid $15.3 million to settle negligence claims, a deal negotiated through his insurer and overseen by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The settlement followed a criminal investigation that produced no indictment and preceded California’s 2020 statute-of-limitations reform, shaping later actions such as the 2025 wrongful-death suit against David Anthony Burke.

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Story summary

David Anthony Burke faces a wrongful-death lawsuit by Celeste Rivas’s family.
The suit, filed September 8 2025, names Josh Marshall, Colleen Burke and guard Sheldon Jacques.
Plaintiffs allege David Anthony Burke arranged Rivas’s transport, hired guard, and should have known of sexual exploitation.
David Anthony Burke faces first-degree murder, child sexual abuse under 14, and unlawful mutilation charges.
Rivas’s body was found in David Anthony Burke’s Tesla trunk on September 8 2025 in Los Angeles.

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