HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On Monday, July 27, the Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ordered David Anthony Burke, also known as D4vd, to stand trial on charges for murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed and dismembered body was found in the front trunk of his car last year in Hollywood Hills in a Tesla.
Burke, 21, has been charged with one count each of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
The criminal complaint includes special circumstance allegations of murder of a witness, murder for financial gain and murder by means of lying in wait as well as a special allegation that Burke personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a sharp instrument, to commit the crime.
He is scheduled to return for a post-preliminary arraignment on August 31 in Department 105 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Prosecutors laid out the framework of their case against Burke during the preliminary trial. A dozen witnesses were called by the prosecution to describe key evidence that proves the defendant killed Celeste.
On April 23, 2025, Burke invited the victim to his home in Hollywood Hills. She arrived at the defendant’s house and was never seen again. Burke is accused of ordering a shovel that was delivered to his home the following day. Over the next several days, Burke, using an alias, allegedly ordered three chainsaws, a body bag and a blue inflatable pool.
Prosecutors allege that Burke fatally stabbed Celeste, placed her body in the inflatable pool and used a chainsaw to dismember her. Testimony showed that blood matching the victim’s DNA profile was found in the defendant’s garage.
On September 8, 2025, the victim’s decomposed and dismembered remains were found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke that had been impounded after the vehicle was reported abandoned. Small, blue plastic fragments from the blue inflatable pool Burke purchased were found embedded in the victim’s remains.
The singer and songwriter had text messages with Celeste in the days and hours leading up to her murder showed that the victim threatened to expose Burke and destroy his career, prosecutors said.
If convicted as charged, Burke faces death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole. A decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date.
