One year to the day that prosecutors say a 14-year-old girl was killed, the man accused of her murder sat in a Los Angeles courtroom in an orange jumpsuit, nodding intermittently as a judge addressed the room. David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, showed no visible reaction when prosecutors alleged that a significant amount of child sexual abuse material had been found on his phone.
The 21-year-old singer faces charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. He has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail.
The evidence prosecutors say they have against D4vd
At a procedural hearing on Thursday, April 23, the prosecution revealed it holds roughly 40 terabytes of evidence, which the defense has requested access to. Among that evidence, prosecutors allege, is a substantial volume of child sexual abuse material recovered from Burke’s phone. He stared straight ahead when the allegation was raised, giving no outward sign of a response.
The sheer scale of the digital evidence signals that the upcoming proceedings could be lengthy and deeply detailed. An evidence hearing is scheduled for April 29, and the preliminary hearing is set to begin May 1, with proceedings expected to span several days.
What the autopsy revealed
Autopsy findings unsealed this week showed that Rivas died from multiple penetrating injuries caused by an object or objects. Examiners identified two wounds to the torso as the likely cause of death. One was located on the right side of the abdomen and damaged the liver. The other entered the upper left chest, passed between two ribs, and fractured adjacent ribs. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Her dismembered remains were discovered in the trunk of Burke’s impounded Tesla in the Hollywood Hills in September 2025, roughly five months after prosecutors allege she was killed.
A motive rooted in silence
Prosecutors have argued that Rivas was a witness in a separate investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by Burke at the time of her death. They allege she had threatened that night to expose him and damage his music career, and that Burke acted to prevent her from doing so. She was last seen at his home.
Before her disappearance, Rivas had been reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California on at least three separate occasions in 2024. People in the area had indicated she had run away before.
A family left behind
Following Burke’s arrest on April 16, Rivas’ parents remembered their daughter as a vibrant young girl who loved to sing and dance, and who made Friday nights a family movie ritual. They described her as loving and expressive, someone who never left without saying she cared. Their grief has since become a public call for accountability.
Because of special circumstances tied to the murder charge, Burke faces either life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek capital punishment.
