D4vd Charged With First Degree Murder
On Monday (April 20), singer D4vd was officially charged with first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, purportedly to protect his career from being damaged after she allegedly threatned to reveal his sexual involvement with the teen.
In the press conference held by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, he revealed that the “brutal and horrific murder” of Hernandez took place on April 23, 2025 – just days before the release of D4vd’s debut album, Withered.
“Celeste, a 14-year-old at that time, went to Mr. Burke’s house in the Hollywood Hills,” said Hochman. “She was never heard from again.” Rivas Hernandez was a runaway who hailed from Lake Elsinore, located in Riverside County.
Hochman went on to allege that Hernandez was killed with a sharp instrument. The teen’s remains – which were dismembered in two black bags – were found in the front trunk of a Tesla that was registered to David Anthony Burke, aka D4vd last September. The car had been impounded in a Hollywood towing lot.
D4vd is also charged with mutilating a body and continual sexual assault of a 14-year-old. The murder charge carries a “special circumstances” enhancement, which makes the “Romantic Homicide” singer eligble for the maximum sentence of life without parole or the death penalty if convicted. Hochman stated that his office is currently undecided on whether to seek the death penalty.
D4vd was in the middle of a headlining tour at the time of the discovery of Hernandez’ body. The remaining dates were canceled, and a deluxe version of Withered was withheld from release. The singer has since been dropped from his label, Darkroom/Interscope Records, as well as Sony Music Publishing and The·Team (formerly Wasserman).
D4vd is being held in custody without bail. At an arraignment later that Monday, he pled not guilty. His attorney, Blair Berk, told the presiding judge, “We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez,” and requested an evidentiary hearing as soon as possible.
D4vd Charged With First Degree Murder was originally published on hiphopwired.com
