D4vd allegedly amputated teen's finger tattooed with his name as part of 'horrifying' attempt to cover up crime: Prosecutors

Key Points:

• Singer D4vd, real name David Burke, has been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in his Tesla in September 2025; prosecutors allege he used a chainsaw purchased after her death to dismember her and amputated fingers bearing his tattoo to distance himself from the victim.
• The prosecution claims D4vd lured the teen to his home in a premeditated plan to kill her after she threatened to expose their sexual relationship, which began when she was 13 and he was 18, potentially ruining his music career.
• Text messages indicate an argument on April 22, 2025, where Rivas Hernandez threatened to reveal damaging information, followed by her murder on April 23, two days before D4vd's debut album release; D4vd allegedly attempted to cover up the crime by disposing of her property and body parts.
• Evidence includes DNA matching the victim found in D4vd’s garage, plastic fragments from an inflatable pool used during dismemberment, and purchases of chainsaws and body bags under a fake name; prosecutors say he left the body to decompose inside his Tesla, which he parked near his home before leaving for a tour.
• D4vd has pleaded not guilty and is held without bail; a preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 26, with charges including murder, continuous sexual abuse, and unlawful mutilation of a body.