A Missing Teen, An Abandoned Tesla And A Singer’s Digital Footprint: What To Know About D4vd’s Murder And Sexual Abuse Charges

Singer and songwriter D4vd has been charged pinch murder, intersexual maltreatment and dismemberment successful nan sidesplitting of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

His lawyers said he is not blameworthy and did not origin nan decease of nan woman whose body, authorities said, was recovered successful his towed Tesla SUV successful Hollywood successful September.

The euphony of D4vd, pronounced “David,” became an online arena erstwhile he was a teenager, earlier he recovered much accepted success.

At a Los Angeles nationalist proceeding group to commencement Friday, which will look overmuch for illustration a trial, prosecutors will coming grounds against nan 21-year-old whose ineligible sanction is David Anthony Burke. It's expected to past astir 5 days earlier a judge will determine whether he should spell to proceedings connected charges of first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts pinch a personification nether 14, and mutilating a dormant body.

Here are a fewer things to cognize astir nan case:

What is nan grounds against D4vd?

Prosecutors will coming grounds that nan decomposing assemblage of Rivas Hernandez was recovered trim into pieces successful 2 bags successful nan trunk of a Tesla SUV registered successful Burke's sanction astatine nan Houston reside of his parents' house. The conveyance was recovered seemingly abandoned successful nan Hollywood Hills adjacent a location wherever he'd been living. They will apt present a aesculapian examiner's study that said she died from 2 penetrating wounds.

Lead charismatic Beth Silverman said nan grounds includes kid intersexual maltreatment imagery taken from Burke's telephone and iCloud accounts. But nan immense mostly of grounds remains secret. It was collected by constabulary who served much than 50 hunt warrants and via 3 abstracted investigative expansive juries.

Burke's attorneys person demanded that nan grounds beryllium revealed arsenic quickly arsenic imaginable by exercising his correct to a preliminary proceeding wrong 10 tribunal days of his arraignment.

“We judge nan existent grounds will show David Burke did not execution Celeste Rivas Hernandez,” lead defense lawyer Blair Berk said successful tribunal past week.

What is simply a preliminary hearing?

At a preliminary hearing, utilized successful California and galore different jurisdictions, witnesses are called and cross-examined and grounds is introduced successful nan aforesaid measurement they are astatine trial. But a judge, not a jury, decides whether nan grounds is capable for nan lawsuit to proceed to trial.

The modular utilized is probable cause, arsenic opposed to nan modular to convict: blameworthy beyond a reasonable doubt.

Prosecutors mostly supply only arsenic overmuch grounds arsenic they deliberation they request to clear that bar, which they usually do. The hearings tin past respective days but are usually acold shorter than trials.

Who is D4vd?

D4vd, an online moniker that became Burke's shape name, was raised and homeschooled successful Houston. He began making euphony for YouTube videos astir nan video crippled Fortnite.

For nan astir part, his songs, written and recorded unsocial connected his phone, were a blend of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop. The euphony made him a arena connected TikTok, Instagram, Soundcloud and Spotify, wherever his apical songs, including his 2022 breakthrough “Romantic Homicide,” person much than a cardinal plays. In 2023, he released 2 EPs and opened for SZA connected tour.

“It grew past Fortnite, it grew past YouTube, past everything for illustration that, and it became specified a euphony focused point and nan existent creator successful maine came out,” he told The Associated Press at past year's Coachella festival.

His first full-length album, “Withered,” was released past year, conscionable 2 days aft nan day authorities estimate Rivas Hernandez was killed.

Who is Celeste Rivas Hernandez?

Rivas Hernandez was a 13-year-old seventh grader erstwhile her family reported her missing successful 2024 from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, astir 80 miles extracurricular Los Angeles. Her assemblage was discovered a time aft she would person turned 15.

Prosecutors allege she was sexually abused successful a narration pinch Burke that lasted astatine slightest a twelvemonth earlier she turned 14, nan property astatine which they opportunity she was killed. She was past known to beryllium live connected April 23, 2025, erstwhile she went to his Hollywood Hills house, they said.

Her parents described her successful a connection arsenic “a beautiful, beardown woman who loved to singing and dance.”

Key players successful tribunal

Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo is champion known for presiding complete nan 2 tests of character Danny Masterson. The first ended successful a mistrial and nan 2nd resulted successful 2 rape convictions successful 2023. Olmedo sentenced him to 30 years to life successful prison.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, nan lead prosecutor, is known for getting a Los Angeles serial slayer who became known arsenic nan “Grim Sleeper” convicted and sentenced to decease successful 2016 for nan murders of 9 women and a teenage woman that went unsolved for years.

Blair Berk, who represents Burke, has agelong been among nan go-to lawyers for A-list clients. They've included Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Ozzy Osbourne, and Harvey Weinstein.