D4vd killed Celeste Rivas Hernandez to silence her "before she ruined his music career," prosecutors allege

The singer D4vd, who pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, allegedly stabbed the Inland Empire teenager "before she ruined his music career," prosecutors wrote in court documents filed on Wednesday.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman alleged D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, killed Hernandez in 2025 after she threatened to expose his criminal conduct. 

Nearly a year after her death, Burke was arrested and charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, lewd and lascivious acts with an individual under 14 and mutilating a body. The charges are in connection with Hernandez's 2025 death. Prosecutors alleged that Burke and the Lake Elsinore teen were romantically involved.

Preliminary hearing evidence in D4vd case (PDF 542.35 KB )

In a court document filed on Wednesday, prosecutors said that Burke paid for a ride-share driver to drop Hernandez off at his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025. 

"Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times while she bled out," prosecutors wrote. 

Prosecutors claimed Burke tried to cover up the killing by texting and calling Hernandez, asking her where she was, even though she was already dead. 

The District Attorney's Office also said Burke, under a fake name, purchased a shovel, body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, two chainsaws, a blue inflatable pool and a burn cage. All of the items were ordered on Amazon or Postmates and delivered to his home, according to prosecutors. 

Prosecutors added that the burn cage was part of Burke's alleged "plan to incinerate evidence." He used the "blue inflatable pool to prevent her blood from spilling onto his garage floor" while she was dismembered, the DA's Office wrote in the court filing. 

Burke and his attorneys have denied all allegations.

"Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death," Burke's attorneys said in a statement last week. "There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David's innocence."

A Los Angeles County judge on Wednesday set the date for the 21-year-old's preliminary hearing for May 26. Burke could also appear in a status hearing on May 12, but that's yet to be confirmed.

Burke uttered just two words – "yes, ma'am," – during the brief hearing in response to the judge asking if he agreed to the new date. Prosecutors expressed displeasure with the decision, adding that they'd already cleared their schedules for the original May 1 date.

Medical examiners determined that Hernandez was killed with "multiple penetrating wounds" in April 2025, several months before her dismembered, decomposing body was found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.

"For several weeks, or possibly months, defendant left the victim's body to decompose inside his Tesla," prosecutors wrote in Wednesday's filing. "He lied to friends, business associates, and others who noticed the strong smell of decay in and around his home and vehicle."

During a court appearance last week, prosecutors claimed that Burke possessed a "significant amount of child pornography." The attorneys representing the Rivas Hernandez family declined to comment on the development.

"Celeste was just a child, under 14 years old, when David Burke allegedly engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations with her," Hochman said in a news release announcing the charges earlier this month. "But Burke's actions did not allegedly stop there. When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her, cut up her body and stuffed her body in two bags that were placed in the front trunk of his car."

The murder charges included special circumstances — lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain and murdering the witness in an investigation. If convicted as charged, Hochman said that Burke could face the maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.