Singer and songwriter d4vd has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in a Tesla belonging to the musician last year.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges on Monday morning, saying he was charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances.
“These charges include the most serious charges that a DA’s office can bring,” Hochman said.
D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, was arrested last week after becoming the target of a grand jury investigation into the death of Hernandez.
Hernandez’s remains were discovered on Sept. 8, 2025, after police responded to reports of a foul smell attracting flies at the Hollywood Tow yard. Her body was found “severely decomposed” and “dismembered” in the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke’s name, according to court records.
Authorities found a decomposed head and torso in a cadaver bag inside a Tesla stored at the yard, court documents said. In another bag inside the car, dismembered body parts were found.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said Hernandez was reported missing from Lake Elsinore over a year ago. A “Missing Person” flyer stated she had last been seen on April 5, 2024, after leaving her home at 9 p.m. that day.
Burke was on the “d4vd Withered 2025 World Tour” when the identity of Hernandez was released. He canceled a Seattle concert the same day she was identified and cancellations of subsequent shows followed.
