Newly unsealed legal documents have laid bare a deeply disturbing case against American pop star D4vd. Authorities claim the musician went to extraordinary lengths to conceal the murder of a 14-year-old girl by acquiring chainsaws and an incinerator cage under an alias.
The TikTok sensation, legally named David Anthony Burke, appeared before a Los Angeles judge this week clad in a prison-issued orange jumpsuit and heavy shackles to answer for the brutal death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Timeline and alleged motive
The prosecution has outlined a grim history between the suspect and the victim. Investigators allege the musician first encountered the young girl when she was 11 years old before initiating a sexually abusive dynamic two years later when he was 18.
According to the evidence dossier, the catalyst for the fatal violence was a fierce digital altercation on April 22, 2025 regarding Burke’s romantic involvement with other women. During this exchange, the teenager reportedly vowed to sabotage his career by going public with their illegal relationship. Officials suspect Burke ended her life the very next day.
To mask the reality of the crime, the artist allegedly orchestrated a calculated cover story. The legal filing details how he first summoned the teenager to his Hollywood Hills residence via a ride-hailing app. To manufacture an alibi he then allegedly bombarded her phone with messages feigning ignorance about her location.
Investigators assert that he subsequently adopted a false identity to procure an inventory of supplies online. This shopping list reportedly featured an inflatable blue pool, a shovel, a body bag, a burn cage and a pair of chainsaws. The prosecution contends that the singer used his garage to dismember the young girl precisely as he was launching his debut studio album on April 25.
Discovery of the remains
The victim had been officially unaccounted for since being spotted at the singer’s property on April 3, 2025, though the court filing also notes her family had previously reported her missing during interactions with authorities in 2024. The search concluded five months later when her decomposing remains were recovered from the front boot of Burke’s Tesla.
Security camera footage supposedly places the artist as the final individual to operate the vehicle. Following this revelation in September 2025, the performer behind viral hits like Romantic Homicide abruptly abandoned his global tour and vanished from the public eye.
Legal battles and defence denials
Earlier this month, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman confirmed the filing of seven severe charges including murder, mutilation of human remains and continuous child sexual abuse.
Burke has officially entered a not guilty plea. During the recent hearing, defence lawyer Blair Berk fiercely contested the publication of the nine-page evidence summary. She argued that the intense media spectacle could severely prejudice a future jury. Judge Charlaine Olmedo ultimately sanctioned the document’s release while keeping additional materials strictly confidential.
Burke’s legal representatives have firmly rejected the prosecution’s narrative, insisting they will robustly defend his innocence and prove he had no hand in the teenager’s demise. The singer remained largely silent during his court appearance, speaking only to accept the postponement of his preliminary hearing until the end of May. Meanwhile, Rivas Hernandez’s devastated relatives have publicly demanded justice for their loved one.
