Topline: Singer D4vd is seeking an unusually fast public airing of prosecutors’ evidence as he fights murder and child sex abuse charges tied to the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Published: April 24, 2026 8:30 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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LOS ANGELES, CA — David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old performer known as D4vd, is due back in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday after pleading not guilty earlier this week to first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14, and mutilating a dead body in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Burke’s defense team is invoking a California right that requires a judge to decide within 10 court days of arraignment whether enough evidence exists for the case to move toward trial, a timetable that is far faster than the one most defendants choose. Burke was charged three days before the hearing and entered his not guilty pleas Monday, about seven months after investigators found the 14-year-old girl’s dismembered body inside his Tesla in the Hollywood Hills.
In a nut graf reported by News4JAX, citing Associated Press reporting, lead defense attorney Blair Berk told the court the evidence will show Burke did not murder Rivas Hernandez, while Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said prosecutors are prepared to present their case and have assembled 40 terabytes of material.
One major piece of evidence became public Wednesday when the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released an autopsy report stating that Rivas Hernandez died from two penetrating wounds to the upper body.
Prosecutors allege Burke sexually abused Rivas Hernandez for at least a year beginning when she was 13, killed her after she threatened to report the relationship, and dismembered her body roughly two weeks later. Authorities say Thursday’s hearing comes exactly one year after the day she was last known to be alive, when investigators believe she went to Burke’s house.
The case has also involved a secret grand jury that heard testimony for months but had not yet issued an indictment when Burke was arrested last week. The existence of that grand jury became public in a February court filing in Texas, where Burke’s relatives sought to avoid subpoenas compelling their testimony.
Burke remains jailed without bail. It was not immediately clear whether Thursday’s court appearance would begin the public presentation of evidence or focus on scheduling witnesses for additional hearings.
Rivas Hernandez’s parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, issued their first public statement Tuesday, describing their daughter as a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance and saying they want justice for her.
D4vd, pronounced “David,” rose to fame with a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop and broke out on TikTok in 2022 with “Romantic Homicide,” which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. He released the EPs Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals in 2023, and his debut album Withered arrived one year ago, two days after the date prosecutors estimate Rivas Hernandez was killed.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Singer D4vd Pushes for Early Evidence Hearing in Celeste Rivas Hernandez Killing Case
Singer D4vd is seeking an unusually fast public airing of prosecutors’ evidence as he fights murder and child sex abuse charges tied to the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: April 24, 2026 8:30 am ET
LOS ANGELES, CA — David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old performer known as D4vd, is due back in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday after pleading not guilty earlier this week to first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14, and mutilating a dead body in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Burke’s defense team is invoking a California right that requires a judge to decide within 10 court days of arraignment whether enough evidence exists for the case to move toward trial, a timetable that is far faster than the one most defendants choose. Burke was charged three days before the hearing and entered his not guilty pleas Monday, about seven months after investigators found the 14-year-old girl’s dismembered body inside his Tesla in the Hollywood Hills.
In a nut graf reported by News4JAX, citing Associated Press reporting, lead defense attorney Blair Berk told the court the evidence will show Burke did not murder Rivas Hernandez, while Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said prosecutors are prepared to present their case and have assembled 40 terabytes of material.
One major piece of evidence became public Wednesday when the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released an autopsy report stating that Rivas Hernandez died from two penetrating wounds to the upper body.
Prosecutors allege Burke sexually abused Rivas Hernandez for at least a year beginning when she was 13, killed her after she threatened to report the relationship, and dismembered her body roughly two weeks later. Authorities say Thursday’s hearing comes exactly one year after the day she was last known to be alive, when investigators believe she went to Burke’s house.
The case has also involved a secret grand jury that heard testimony for months but had not yet issued an indictment when Burke was arrested last week. The existence of that grand jury became public in a February court filing in Texas, where Burke’s relatives sought to avoid subpoenas compelling their testimony.
Burke remains jailed without bail. It was not immediately clear whether Thursday’s court appearance would begin the public presentation of evidence or focus on scheduling witnesses for additional hearings.
Rivas Hernandez’s parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, issued their first public statement Tuesday, describing their daughter as a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance and saying they want justice for her.
D4vd, pronounced “David,” rose to fame with a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop and broke out on TikTok in 2022 with “Romantic Homicide,” which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. He released the EPs Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals in 2023, and his debut album Withered arrived one year ago, two days after the date prosecutors estimate Rivas Hernandez was killed.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Singer D4vd Pushes for Early Evidence Hearing in Celeste Rivas Hernandez Killing Case
Singer D4vd is seeking an unusually fast public airing of prosecutors’ evidence as he fights murder and child sex abuse charges tied to the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: April 24, 2026 8:30 am ET
LOS ANGELES, CA — David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old performer known as D4vd, is due back in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday after pleading not guilty earlier this week to first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14, and mutilating a dead body in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Burke’s defense team is invoking a California right that requires a judge to decide within 10 court days of arraignment whether enough evidence exists for the case to move toward trial, a timetable that is far faster than the one most defendants choose. Burke was charged three days before the hearing and entered his not guilty pleas Monday, about seven months after investigators found the 14-year-old girl’s dismembered body inside his Tesla in the Hollywood Hills.
In a nut graf reported by News4JAX, citing Associated Press reporting, lead defense attorney Blair Berk told the court the evidence will show Burke did not murder Rivas Hernandez, while Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said prosecutors are prepared to present their case and have assembled 40 terabytes of material.
One major piece of evidence became public Wednesday when the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released an autopsy report stating that Rivas Hernandez died from two penetrating wounds to the upper body.
Prosecutors allege Burke sexually abused Rivas Hernandez for at least a year beginning when she was 13, killed her after she threatened to report the relationship, and dismembered her body roughly two weeks later. Authorities say Thursday’s hearing comes exactly one year after the day she was last known to be alive, when investigators believe she went to Burke’s house.
The case has also involved a secret grand jury that heard testimony for months but had not yet issued an indictment when Burke was arrested last week. The existence of that grand jury became public in a February court filing in Texas, where Burke’s relatives sought to avoid subpoenas compelling their testimony.
Burke remains jailed without bail. It was not immediately clear whether Thursday’s court appearance would begin the public presentation of evidence or focus on scheduling witnesses for additional hearings.
Rivas Hernandez’s parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, issued their first public statement Tuesday, describing their daughter as a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance and saying they want justice for her.
D4vd, pronounced “David,” rose to fame with a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop and broke out on TikTok in 2022 with “Romantic Homicide,” which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. He released the EPs Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals in 2023, and his debut album Withered arrived one year ago, two days after the date prosecutors estimate Rivas Hernandez was killed.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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