Topline: Rapper David Anthony Burke allegedly bought tools on Amazon to dismember 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Published: April 29, 2026 1:00 pm ET
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Left: Celeste Hernandez Rivas, Right: D4vd aka David Anthony Burke (via GoFundMe/Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office)
LOS ANGELES — Disturbing details regarding the suspected killing and dismemberment of a 14-year-old girl were released in court filings during a court appearance on April 29 for the singer known as D4vd.
David Anthony Burke, 21, faces charges of first-degree murder, continuous sexual acts, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with a minor under 14 and mutilating human remains. Burke previously entered a plea of not guilty to all charges earlier this month, according to ABC7.
A legal brief from the prosecution alleges Burke purchased a body bag, two chainsaws and an inflatable pool on Amazon using a pseudonym after the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Investigators stated that fragments of the blue inflatable pool were discovered embedded in wounds on the girl’s body.
The victim was found dismembered in a Tesla belonging to Burke in September 2025. Prosecutors said Burke was the last person to drive the vehicle on July 29, 2025, before he left Los Angeles for a concert tour.
According to court documents, the pair met in January 2022 when the girl was 11 years old. A sexual relationship allegedly began in November 2023 when she was 13 and Burke was 18.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office contacted Burke in February 2024 after finding his number in the teen’s phone records. Burke reportedly told deputies he did not know the girl was a minor or that she had been reported missing.
Law enforcement officials informed Burke that Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies would visit his West Hollywood home. Prosecutors allege Burke continued to pursue the teen after being informed of her age by law enforcement during that visit.
When the girl’s parents confiscated her phone, Burke allegedly paid a junior high student in her class $1,000 to deliver a new cellphone. The document alleges the pair spent a significant amount of time together in 2024, including weekends at his Hollywood Hills home and trips to Las Vegas, London and Texas.
Text messages between the two reportedly included references to sex, pregnancy and abortion. Investigators said they discovered explicit photos on computers, tablets and iCloud accounts that corroborate the sexual relationship.
As reported by the New York Post, prosecutors claim Rivas Hernandez told Burke in a March 2025 text, “all we do is have sex and just hang out man I want more than that for myself.”
Court documents also state the two exchanged a “lengthy argument” over text on April 22, 2025, as Rivas grew jealous of Burke’s relationships with other women. “She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damning information about her relationship with the defendant to end his career and destroy his life,” stated investigators.
Burke’s album was scheduled for release three days later, and he held multiple lucrative product endorsements. Prosecutors allege Rivas sought to derail his musical career. Burke then sent an Uber to pick the girl up from her Lake Elsinore home on the night of April 23.
Court documents claim Burke stabbed the girl multiple times and watched her bleed to death inside his Hollywood Hills residence. He allegedly sent text messages to her phone after the time of death as part of a planned cover-up.
Prosecutors said Burke traveled to Santa Barbara County near Lake Cachuma multiple times after the death. A Caltrans worker later found the victim’s passport card off SR-154 in January 2025.
On April 24, Burke reportedly ordered a shovel from Home Depot via Postmates. He allegedly ordered two chainsaws on May 1 and a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags and a blue inflatable pool on May 5.
On July 7, Burke allegedly ordered a burn cage under a fake name to incinerate evidence. An expert matched blue plastic fragments found in the remains to the inflatable pool delivered to his home.
The teen’s left pinky and ring fingers were amputated and never recovered. Prosecutors allege the singer removed the ring finger because it featured a tattoo of his name.
The remains were reportedly placed in a cadaver bag and a garbage bag inside the front trunk of the Tesla. Prosecutors allege the body decomposed in the vehicle for several weeks or months.
Los Angeles Police Department officers reported finding blood matching the victim’s DNA in Burke’s garage. The search also uncovered the inflatable pool, which officers noted contained multiple linear cuts.
Medical examiner reports indicate the girl died from multiple penetrating injuries. The autopsy also discovered certain drugs in her system.
Last week, prosecutors revealed they found 40 terabytes of evidence on Burke’s electronic devices. This evidence reportedly includes a large volume of child sexual abuse material.
Defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said the defense may argue the death was an accidental overdose. Rahmani said the mutilation charge is the least serious of the counts, and avoiding murder or sex crime convictions would be a win for the defense.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told ABC7 the case is a tragedy and not entertainment.
“Sadly, some treated this as if it was entertainment. It’s not entertainment. It’s a tragic life taken in a very brutal way. A lot of people involved, a lot of care and concern, as well, expressed over the case. But, we’ve taken it very seriously, and our goal is to be able to preserve evidence until it gets to trial,” McDonnell said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 26. A judge will then determine if Burke will proceed to trial on the current charges.
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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Court Reveals Grisly New Details in D4vd Teen Murder Case
Rapper David Anthony Burke allegedly bought tools on Amazon to dismember 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
By Kate Byrd
Published: April 29, 2026 1:00 pm ET
Left: Celeste Hernandez Rivas, Right: D4vd aka David Anthony Burke (via GoFundMe/Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office)
LOS ANGELES — Disturbing details regarding the suspected killing and dismemberment of a 14-year-old girl were released in court filings during a court appearance on April 29 for the singer known as D4vd.
David Anthony Burke, 21, faces charges of first-degree murder, continuous sexual acts, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with a minor under 14 and mutilating human remains. Burke previously entered a plea of not guilty to all charges earlier this month, according to ABC7.
A legal brief from the prosecution alleges Burke purchased a body bag, two chainsaws and an inflatable pool on Amazon using a pseudonym after the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Investigators stated that fragments of the blue inflatable pool were discovered embedded in wounds on the girl’s body.
The victim was found dismembered in a Tesla belonging to Burke in September 2025. Prosecutors said Burke was the last person to drive the vehicle on July 29, 2025, before he left Los Angeles for a concert tour.
According to court documents, the pair met in January 2022 when the girl was 11 years old. A sexual relationship allegedly began in November 2023 when she was 13 and Burke was 18.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office contacted Burke in February 2024 after finding his number in the teen’s phone records. Burke reportedly told deputies he did not know the girl was a minor or that she had been reported missing.
Law enforcement officials informed Burke that Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies would visit his West Hollywood home. Prosecutors allege Burke continued to pursue the teen after being informed of her age by law enforcement during that visit.
When the girl’s parents confiscated her phone, Burke allegedly paid a junior high student in her class $1,000 to deliver a new cellphone. The document alleges the pair spent a significant amount of time together in 2024, including weekends at his Hollywood Hills home and trips to Las Vegas, London and Texas.
Text messages between the two reportedly included references to sex, pregnancy and abortion. Investigators said they discovered explicit photos on computers, tablets and iCloud accounts that corroborate the sexual relationship.
As reported by the New York Post, prosecutors claim Rivas Hernandez told Burke in a March 2025 text, “all we do is have sex and just hang out man I want more than that for myself.”
Court documents also state the two exchanged a “lengthy argument” over text on April 22, 2025, as Rivas grew jealous of Burke’s relationships with other women. “She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damning information about her relationship with the defendant to end his career and destroy his life,” stated investigators.
Burke’s album was scheduled for release three days later, and he held multiple lucrative product endorsements. Prosecutors allege Rivas sought to derail his musical career. Burke then sent an Uber to pick the girl up from her Lake Elsinore home on the night of April 23.
Court documents claim Burke stabbed the girl multiple times and watched her bleed to death inside his Hollywood Hills residence. He allegedly sent text messages to her phone after the time of death as part of a planned cover-up.
Prosecutors said Burke traveled to Santa Barbara County near Lake Cachuma multiple times after the death. A Caltrans worker later found the victim’s passport card off SR-154 in January 2025.
On April 24, Burke reportedly ordered a shovel from Home Depot via Postmates. He allegedly ordered two chainsaws on May 1 and a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags and a blue inflatable pool on May 5.
On July 7, Burke allegedly ordered a burn cage under a fake name to incinerate evidence. An expert matched blue plastic fragments found in the remains to the inflatable pool delivered to his home.
The teen’s left pinky and ring fingers were amputated and never recovered. Prosecutors allege the singer removed the ring finger because it featured a tattoo of his name.
The remains were reportedly placed in a cadaver bag and a garbage bag inside the front trunk of the Tesla. Prosecutors allege the body decomposed in the vehicle for several weeks or months.
Los Angeles Police Department officers reported finding blood matching the victim’s DNA in Burke’s garage. The search also uncovered the inflatable pool, which officers noted contained multiple linear cuts.
Medical examiner reports indicate the girl died from multiple penetrating injuries. The autopsy also discovered certain drugs in her system.
Last week, prosecutors revealed they found 40 terabytes of evidence on Burke’s electronic devices. This evidence reportedly includes a large volume of child sexual abuse material.
Defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said the defense may argue the death was an accidental overdose. Rahmani said the mutilation charge is the least serious of the counts, and avoiding murder or sex crime convictions would be a win for the defense.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told ABC7 the case is a tragedy and not entertainment.
“Sadly, some treated this as if it was entertainment. It’s not entertainment. It’s a tragic life taken in a very brutal way. A lot of people involved, a lot of care and concern, as well, expressed over the case. But, we’ve taken it very seriously, and our goal is to be able to preserve evidence until it gets to trial,” McDonnell said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 26. A judge will then determine if Burke will proceed to trial on the current charges.
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.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Court Reveals Grisly New Details in D4vd Teen Murder Case
Rapper David Anthony Burke allegedly bought tools on Amazon to dismember 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
By Kate Byrd
Published: April 29, 2026 1:00 pm ET
Left: Celeste Hernandez Rivas, Right: D4vd aka David Anthony Burke (via GoFundMe/Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office)
LOS ANGELES — Disturbing details regarding the suspected killing and dismemberment of a 14-year-old girl were released in court filings during a court appearance on April 29 for the singer known as D4vd.
David Anthony Burke, 21, faces charges of first-degree murder, continuous sexual acts, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with a minor under 14 and mutilating human remains. Burke previously entered a plea of not guilty to all charges earlier this month, according to ABC7.
A legal brief from the prosecution alleges Burke purchased a body bag, two chainsaws and an inflatable pool on Amazon using a pseudonym after the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Investigators stated that fragments of the blue inflatable pool were discovered embedded in wounds on the girl’s body.
The victim was found dismembered in a Tesla belonging to Burke in September 2025. Prosecutors said Burke was the last person to drive the vehicle on July 29, 2025, before he left Los Angeles for a concert tour.
According to court documents, the pair met in January 2022 when the girl was 11 years old. A sexual relationship allegedly began in November 2023 when she was 13 and Burke was 18.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office contacted Burke in February 2024 after finding his number in the teen’s phone records. Burke reportedly told deputies he did not know the girl was a minor or that she had been reported missing.
Law enforcement officials informed Burke that Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies would visit his West Hollywood home. Prosecutors allege Burke continued to pursue the teen after being informed of her age by law enforcement during that visit.
When the girl’s parents confiscated her phone, Burke allegedly paid a junior high student in her class $1,000 to deliver a new cellphone. The document alleges the pair spent a significant amount of time together in 2024, including weekends at his Hollywood Hills home and trips to Las Vegas, London and Texas.
Text messages between the two reportedly included references to sex, pregnancy and abortion. Investigators said they discovered explicit photos on computers, tablets and iCloud accounts that corroborate the sexual relationship.
As reported by the New York Post, prosecutors claim Rivas Hernandez told Burke in a March 2025 text, “all we do is have sex and just hang out man I want more than that for myself.”
Court documents also state the two exchanged a “lengthy argument” over text on April 22, 2025, as Rivas grew jealous of Burke’s relationships with other women. “She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damning information about her relationship with the defendant to end his career and destroy his life,” stated investigators.
Burke’s album was scheduled for release three days later, and he held multiple lucrative product endorsements. Prosecutors allege Rivas sought to derail his musical career. Burke then sent an Uber to pick the girl up from her Lake Elsinore home on the night of April 23.
Court documents claim Burke stabbed the girl multiple times and watched her bleed to death inside his Hollywood Hills residence. He allegedly sent text messages to her phone after the time of death as part of a planned cover-up.
Prosecutors said Burke traveled to Santa Barbara County near Lake Cachuma multiple times after the death. A Caltrans worker later found the victim’s passport card off SR-154 in January 2025.
On April 24, Burke reportedly ordered a shovel from Home Depot via Postmates. He allegedly ordered two chainsaws on May 1 and a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags and a blue inflatable pool on May 5.
On July 7, Burke allegedly ordered a burn cage under a fake name to incinerate evidence. An expert matched blue plastic fragments found in the remains to the inflatable pool delivered to his home.
The teen’s left pinky and ring fingers were amputated and never recovered. Prosecutors allege the singer removed the ring finger because it featured a tattoo of his name.
The remains were reportedly placed in a cadaver bag and a garbage bag inside the front trunk of the Tesla. Prosecutors allege the body decomposed in the vehicle for several weeks or months.
Los Angeles Police Department officers reported finding blood matching the victim’s DNA in Burke’s garage. The search also uncovered the inflatable pool, which officers noted contained multiple linear cuts.
Medical examiner reports indicate the girl died from multiple penetrating injuries. The autopsy also discovered certain drugs in her system.
Last week, prosecutors revealed they found 40 terabytes of evidence on Burke’s electronic devices. This evidence reportedly includes a large volume of child sexual abuse material.
Defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said the defense may argue the death was an accidental overdose. Rahmani said the mutilation charge is the least serious of the counts, and avoiding murder or sex crime convictions would be a win for the defense.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told ABC7 the case is a tragedy and not entertainment.
“Sadly, some treated this as if it was entertainment. It’s not entertainment. It’s a tragic life taken in a very brutal way. A lot of people involved, a lot of care and concern, as well, expressed over the case. But, we’ve taken it very seriously, and our goal is to be able to preserve evidence until it gets to trial,” McDonnell said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 26. A judge will then determine if Burke will proceed to trial on the current charges.
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.
Must Read
