The American music industry and online fan communities have been rocked by the unfolding of a horrific criminal case that has gripped Los Angeles: rising TikTok star D4vd, best known for his viral 2020s hits *Romantic Homicide* and *Here With Me*, stands accused of the brutal murder, sexual abuse, and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Court proceedings this week have brought previously unreported, disturbing details to light, peeling back the curtain on a months-long investigation that spawned widespread online speculation after the teen’s body was discovered.
The case dates back to September 2025, when workers at a Hollywood towing yard responded to complaints of a foul odor coming from a parked Tesla, registered to D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke. Inside the vehicle’s front trunk, investigators found Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered remains sealed inside a black zipper bag. At the time of the discovery, Burke was mid-way through a planned worldwide tour; the tour was immediately scrapped following the find, and the artist withdrew almost entirely from public view and his social media platforms, which had served as the launchpad for his rapid rise to fame.
Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing by her family months earlier, after she was last seen leaving Burke’s Hollywood Hills home on April 3, 2025. For months after the discovery of her body, law enforcement released almost no details about the case, the nature of the relationship between the 14-year-old and the singer, or the progress of the investigation. That information vacuum fueled a wave of unfounded conspiracies across social media platforms, leaving the public and Rivas Hernandez’s family without clear answers.
It was not until last week that Los Angeles law enforcement announced Burke’s arrest. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office officially filed seven criminal charges against the artist, including one count of murder, multiple counts of continuous sexual abuse of a minor, and charges for the mutilation of human remains. This week, prosecutors presented even more disturbing allegations during open court proceedings.
Prosecutors told the court that during the execution of search warrants for Burke’s electronic devices, investigators recovered what they described as a “significant amount” of images depicting child sexual abuse on both his personal phone and linked iCloud account. Prosecutors further alleged that Burke repeatedly sexually assaulted Rivas Hernandez before killing her and dismembering her body, claiming he took these extreme steps to conceal the abuse and protect his fast-growing, profitable music career.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner released its long-withheld autopsy report, which had been kept from public disclosure at the request of investigating officers. The report officially ruled Rivas Hernandez’s death a homicide, caused by multiple penetrating injuries from an as-yet-unidentified weapon or weapons. It confirmed the body was heavily decomposed and had been dismembered, matching the initial observations of first responders.
Burke has entered a formal plea of not guilty to all criminal charges brought against him. It is important to note that while prosecutors have alleged the possession of child sexual abuse material, no additional charges related to those claims have been filed against the singer to date. The BBC reached out to Burke’s legal team for comment on the new allegations, and the team has repeatedly stood by their client’s claim of innocence.
“We will vigorously defend David’s innocence, and we are confident that evidence will ultimately prove David did not kill Celeste,” the defense team said in an earlier statement. They have also pushed back on the prosecution’s procedural approach, noting that three grand juries have reviewed evidence in the case so far, but no indictment has been returned. Instead, the district attorney chose to bring charges via a direct criminal complaint, a step the defense has questioned.
“There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case, and no finalized criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion,” the defense team told the BBC.
This week, Rivas Hernandez’s family broke their months-long silence to release their first public statement about the case, offering a tender portrait of the teen they lost and calling for accountability. “Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night and we spent wonderful times together,” her parents Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez said. “We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is justice for Celeste.”
Two upcoming court hearings in the case are scheduled for next Wednesday and Friday, as the legal process moves forward and more details are expected to enter the public record. Law enforcement officials have said they have recovered and analyzed a substantial body of digital and forensic evidence to support their charges, setting the stage for a high-profile trial that will continue to draw national attention.