D4vd took 'horrifying measures to destroy and discard' Celeste Rivas Hernandez's body, prosecutors allege

Key Points:

• David Anthony Burke, known as singer D4vd, is charged with first-degree murder, sexual acts with a minor, and mutilation after the dismembered body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in his Tesla in 2025.
• Prosecutors allege Burke fatally stabbed Rivas Hernandez following a threat to expose their sexual relationship and took extensive steps to dispose of her body, including buying chainsaws and amputating her fingers to remove identifying tattoos.
• Court documents reveal Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 and began a sexual relationship when she was 13, despite knowing her age, and continued contact after she returned home, including paying a classmate to provide her with a new phone.
• Text messages show a sexual relationship with references to pregnancy and abortion, and an argument the night before the murder in which Rivas Hernandez threatened to ruin Burke’s career.
• Burke pleaded not guilty, with his defense disputing the evidence; if convicted, he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty, while the DA has yet to decide on pursuing capital punishment.