Singer D4vd pleads not guilty to murder of 14-year-old found in his Tesla trunk

Singer D4vd, the 21-year-old musician whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and related charges in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered remains were found in the trunk of his impounded Tesla last year. The shocking case, described by prosecutors as a "parent's worst nightmare," alleges Burke killed the girl after she threatened to expose their sexual relationship, then mutilated her body to protect his rising music career. As reported by The Independent, Celeste was last seen alive on April 23, 2025, heading to Burke's Hollywood Hills home at his invitation, and her decomposed remains were discovered four months later on September 8, 2025, in a Hollywood tow yard.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges on April 20, 2026, including special circumstances like lying in wait and financial gain that could lead to the death penalty or life without parole if convicted. According to court filings and LAPD statements, investigators have physical, forensic, and digital evidence linking Burke to the crime, including claims that he used a sharp instrument to kill her and dismembered the body into bags left in the Tesla's front trunk. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell confirmed the pair had a sexual relationship while Celeste was a minor, a detail that complicated the probe as evidence degraded over the months between her disappearance and discovery.

Celeste, a seventh-grader from Lake Elsinore who had run away from home multiple times in 2024, met Burke through social media and even appeared with him online, with sources telling the Los Angeles Times she had stayed at one of his rental properties. Her family reported her missing repeatedly to Riverside County authorities, marking her as a reported runaway before she vanished for good. The case drew a grand jury review earlier, as noted by law enforcement sources, amid an ongoing murder investigation that LAPD had not publicly labeled as homicide until recent filings.

Burke's rapid pleas of not guilty came during his first court appearance on Monday in downtown Los Angeles, where he faces not only murder but also lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 and mutilation of a body. Prosecutors barred the medical examiner from releasing details under court order, heightening the mystery around the exact cause of death. The musician, once on a meteoric rise to pop stardom, now sits jailed as the trial looms, with his defense denying all involvement.

This tragedy underscores the dark underbelly of fame, affecting Celeste's grieving family, Burke's fans, and the Hollywood community where the crime unfolded. What happens next hinges on the strength of the evidence at trial, potentially setting precedents for celebrity accountability in cases involving minors. Authorities continue investigating any additional leads from the delayed discovery that hampered early forensics.