Argument Turns Deadly (Image Credits: Pixabay)
Los Angeles – Court filings unsealed this week laid bare prosecutors’ claims that rising singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez to death in his Hollywood Hills home before dismembering her body with chainsaws purchased online.[1][2] The documents, revealed during a hearing on April 29, 2026, painted a chilling picture of the alleged crime, including efforts to conceal evidence that linked the 21-year-old musician directly to the victim. The case has drawn widespread attention amid D4vd’s growing fame and the shocking nature of the accusations.
Argument Turns Deadly
The confrontation that prosecutors say ended in murder stemmed from a volatile relationship. Rivas Hernandez arrived at D4vd’s rented Hollywood Hills residence via Uber on the evening of April 23, 2025, following a heated exchange the previous day.[1] She had expressed jealousy over his interactions with other women and threatened to expose details of their involvement, which could derail his impending album release and tour.[2]
According to the filings, D4vd stabbed the teen multiple times in the torso shortly after her arrival around 10:10 p.m. One wound pierced her liver, another damaged her ribs. He allegedly stood by as she bled out, making no attempt to seek medical help.[3] An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death as multiple penetrating sharp-force injuries, ruling the manner homicide.[4]
Timeline of a Relationship
D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, first connected with Rivas Hernandez online in early 2022 when she was 11 years old and a fan on his Discord server.[3] Their interactions escalated into a sexual relationship by November 2023, when she was 13. Text messages recovered by investigators referenced sexual encounters, pregnancy scares, abortions, and Plan B.[2]
Rivas Hernandez, from Lake Elsinore, faced multiple runaway reports in 2024. Burke bought her a phone after her parents confiscated one and took her on trips to Las Vegas, Texas, and London. The pair broke up in late 2024 but maintained contact. Her family last heard from her in May 2024, though digital evidence placed her alive into early 2025.[1]
Alleged Cover-Up Efforts
Following the stabbing, prosecutors claim Burke immediately began disposing of evidence. He drove north to Santa Barbara County that night, discarding items near Lake Cachuma; her passport card turned up there in January 2026.[2] Purchases made under the alias “Victoria Mendez” included a shovel from Home Depot on April 24, two chainsaws from Amazon on May 1, a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, and a blue inflatable pool on May 5, plus a burn cage incinerator on July 7.[1]
- Inflatable pool fragments embedded in her wounds, matching one found in his garage with cuts consistent with dismemberment.
- DNA from blood in the garage matched Rivas Hernandez.
- Left ring and pinky fingers missing; the ring finger bore a tattoo of D4vd’s name.
Remains went into a cadaver bag and garbage bag in the Tesla’s front trunk. Surveillance showed Burke last driving the car on July 29, 2025, before his tour. It sat abandoned until impounded on September 3; workers found the decomposing body on September 8.[3]
Investigation and Charges
The Los Angeles Police Department launched a murder probe in November 2025 after three secret grand juries gathered evidence, including 54 search warrants and analysis of 40 terabytes of data from Burke’s devices.[2] Investigators uncovered explicit photos of the pair and a significant amount of child sexual abuse material on his phone and iCloud.[4]
Burke faced arrest on April 16, 2026, and charges followed on April 20: first-degree murder with special circumstances for lying in wait, financial gain, and killing a witness; continuous sexual abuse of a child; and mutilation of remains. He pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bail.[5]
Path to Trial
During Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Charlaine Olmedo denied a defense bid to seal the prosecution’s brief and postponed the preliminary hearing to May 26 to allow review of discovery materials.[2] Burke’s attorneys called the filing one-sided and maintain the evidence will prove his innocence.[5]
As the case advances, questions linger over potential death penalty pursuit and the full scope of digital evidence. For Rivas Hernandez’s family, the revelations offered grim confirmation after months of uncertainty, underscoring the profound loss behind the headlines.
