The singer known as d4vd is charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found in a Tesla registered to him. He has pleaded not guilty and has been ordered to stand trial.
At a status hearing on Oct. 19, 2026 that lasted only minutes, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo set a status conference for Jan. 11, 2027; Burke, now represented by the public defender's office, spoke only to answer "Yes, Your Honor" when asked whether he accepted the dates.34 Court TV reported that the parties agreed trial would begin within 90 days of that conference and that court dockets reflected a February start.4 District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.34
Burke has not been tried. Everything in this section is an allegation by prosecutors or police, or testimony at a preliminary hearing, where the judge decides only whether there is probable cause, a far lower standard than proof beyond a reasonable doubt.812 None of it has been tested before a jury.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was 14 and lived in Lake Elsinore, California, according to prosecutors and trial-court testimony as reported.110 She had been reported missing in Lake Elsinore in 2024.15
On Sept. 8, 2025, police responded to a report of a foul odor from a car at a Hollywood tow yard and found her remains in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.1315 According to Court TV, the car had been left parked on a public street while Burke was on tour before it was towed.4 It had been towed from the Hollywood Hills nearly five months after the date prosecutors say she was killed, the AP reported.10 Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the condition of the remains delayed the medical examiner’s ability to determine a cause of death.14
Prosecutors allege that Burke killed Rivas Hernandez after she threatened to reveal their relationship, which they say would have endangered his career; the relationship is the basis of the child sexual abuse count.101 District Attorney Nathan Hochman said that when she “threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her.”14 At the preliminary hearing, prosecutors pointed to his lucrative recording contract as the financial motive.12
According to authorities, Burke sent a car to pick her up in Lake Elsinore on April 23, 2025.10 Prosecutors say her last text said she was almost there and that her phone went silent when she arrived at his Hollywood home; they allege he stabbed her as she came through the door, then dismembered her body in his garage.8 They say later texts he sent asking where she was were part of a cover-up.8 In an April filing, prosecutors wrote that “for several weeks, or possibly months,” he left her body inside his Tesla.13
Burke was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on April 16, 2026, and held without bail.15 On April 20, the district attorney’s office charged him with one count each of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.12 The complaint alleges three special circumstances (lying in wait, murder for financial gain and murder of a witness) and that he personally used a sharp instrument as a deadly weapon.114 If convicted as charged, he faces death or life in prison without the possibility of parole; Hochman said the decision on whether to seek death “will be made at a later time.”114 His lawyers entered a not-guilty plea that afternoon.14
The preliminary hearing, postponed three times, began July 21, 2026, before Judge Charlaine Olmedo.1312 Dr. Grant Ho of the county medical examiner’s office testified that the autopsy classified the death as a homicide and that she had been killed by two sharp-force wounds to her upper body; the report gives the cause as “multiple penetrating injuries.”1011 Ho said decomposition made it “extremely difficult to tell” when she died, beyond at least weeks and possibly months, and that toxicology results did not show that any drug played a role.10 He acknowledged he could not determine from the autopsy alone who wielded the weapon or the circumstances of the stabbing.11
A police analyst testified that blood stains in Burke’s garage matched her DNA.10 Prosecutors also presented records of online purchases that they say he used to dismember the body.12 A Los Angeles police detective testified about messages and other material recovered from Burke’s phone and iCloud accounts under search warrants.108
The defense argued the murder count should be dismissed because there was no evidence of intent to kill and the medical examiner’s finding was too vague to prove murder.8 On cross-examination, his lawyers questioned how and by whose hand she died, and drew from Ho that investigators had not interviewed her family or friends about her circumstances before her death.1110 Questioning the detective, defense attorney Blair Berk brought out that she had threatened to expose the relationship and had made threats against Burke, and that both families knew of the relationship.8
On July 27, Olmedo ordered Burke to stand trial, saying, “The people have met their burden on all counts,” while noting that the standard at this stage is much lower than at trial.89 She held him to answer on the special-circumstance allegations as well.6
At his arraignment on Aug. 31, 2026, the judge denied a defense request for a postponement, his private lawyers were allowed to withdraw, and Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel was appointed; Burke again pleaded not guilty.7 The reasons for the withdrawal were not made public, and a transcript of the closed hearing on it was sealed.3 Hochman said his office had not received a mitigation packet from the former lawyers and that the death-penalty decision “has not been made.”7 The public defender’s office found him eligible for its services after he claimed indigency, a claim the family disputes.46
At a status hearing on Oct. 19, 2026, the lawyers agreed to a final status conference on Jan. 11, 2027, according to Court TV, which reported that trial is to begin within 90 days after that and that dockets reflected a February start.4 Los Angeles magazine reported the Jan. 11 date as a status conference and said the hearing produced few developments beyond that; the defense is working with prosecutors to obtain more discovery.3
Her family, through their attorney, has said that the death penalty “would be perfect for this kind of human being” and that the outcome is in God’s hands and the justice system’s.65 Her mother attended the preliminary hearing.10 The family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Burke that also names others, including his businesses.54
Burke was born in Queens, New York, and raised in the Houston area, where his family moved, according to TMZ.16 He was homeschooled in his younger years and grew up listening mainly to gospel music, TMZ reported, citing an interview with DIY magazine.16 He was 21 when he was charged.148
He started making his own music after his Fortnite gaming videos were demonetized on YouTube over copyrighted music, recording songs in his sister’s closet with phone apps, according to TMZ.16 He performs as d4vd, and his music blends indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop, the AP reported.10 His 2022 breakthrough song, “Romantic Homicide,” has more than a billion plays, and he signed with Darkroom/Interscope.1016 His debut EP, Petals to Thorns, came out in May 2023.16 He opened for SZA on a 2023 tour and played Coachella in 2024.10 His first full-length album, Withered, was released two days after the date authorities say Rivas Hernandez was killed.10 KABC reported that he had earned at least $10 million over his career.7
No testimony, finding or on-record statement about Burke’s mental health was found in the sources reviewed.
Burke has been held without bail since his April 2026 arrest.158 At the Oct. 19 hearing, he spoke only to say “Yes, Your Honor” when asked whether he accepted the proposed dates.4 Burke has made no public statement about the case in the sources reviewed.
Prosecutors allege Burke killed Rivas Hernandez after she threatened to reveal their relationship, which they say would have damaged his music career, then dismembered her body in his garage and left it in his Tesla.108 District Attorney Nathan Hochman said, "When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her."14 After the preliminary hearing, Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman told the court that "all of the allegations have been proved way beyond the standard required."8
His original lawyers said, "We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez."14 At the preliminary hearing they argued the murder count should be dismissed, saying there was no evidence of intent to kill and that the cause of death was too vague to prove murder, and on cross-examination appeared to suggest she may have taken her own life.811 Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel, who took over the case in August, said Burke "is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence."7
Through their attorney, her family has said the death penalty "would be perfect" for him, while adding that the outcome is not in their hands, and disputes that he is indigent.65 The family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Burke that also names others, including his businesses.54
Remains are found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke at a Hollywood tow yard.1513
The LAPD arrests Burke and holds him without bail.15
The district attorney files a three-count complaint with special-circumstance allegations; Burke pleads not guilty.114
After three postponements, a judge sets the preliminary hearing for July 21.13
The preliminary hearing begins before Judge Charlaine Olmedo.12
His private lawyers withdraw, a deputy public defender is appointed, and Burke pleads not guilty at arraignment.7
A brief status hearing sets a final status conference for Jan. 11, 2027.34
A status conference is set for Jan. 11, 2027.3 Court TV reported that the parties agreed trial would begin within 90 days after it, with dockets reflecting a February start; no specific trial date was given.4 The district attorney's decision on whether to seek the death penalty is still pending.3