D4vd pleads not guilty to murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Singer D4vd has pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed body was found in his Tesla vehicle last year.

D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, has been charged with murder, with special circumstances including "lying in wait", committing the offence for financial gain, and killing a witness involved in an investigation.

At a press conference on Monday (20 April), Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated that available evidence indicates Rivas Hernandez had been a witness in an inquiry into alleged sexual misconduct involving Burke.

He faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said prosecutors will decide at a later stage whether to pursue the death penalty.

The singer's lawyers entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and requested a preliminary hearing as soon as possible to hear the evidence.

D4vd's defence lawyer, Blair Berk, said: "We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, nor was he the cause of her death."

The artist remains in custody.

Getty Images

D4vd is a New York-born singer-songwriter best known for his viral single 'Here With Me', which rose to prominence on TikTok, alongside his 2022 track 'Romantic Homicide'. Both songs have amassed over one billion streams on Spotify.

D4vd was on his 'Withered' world tour and performed in Wisconsin on the same day the discovery was made.

Police responded to reports of a foul odour coming from the abandoned vehicle in Hollywood Hills. Rivas Hernandez, who was 13 at the time, went missing in 2024 from her home in Lake Elsinore, California.

On 8 September, her decomposed body was found wrapped in plastic in the boot of a Tesla Model Y registered to D4vd.

"Upon removing the cadaver bag from the front storage compartment, it was discovered the arms and legs had been severed from the body," a court document read. "A second black bag was discovered underneath the cadaver bag. Upon opening the second bag, the dismembered body parts were discovered."

A tribute from Rivas Hernandez's family, alongside an online fundraiser, read: "She was a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend. Her family is heartbroken and devastated by this tragic loss."

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.