Grace Vaccaro, Staff Writer
David Anthony Burke, or better known as D4VD, was recently charged with the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. He was charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous lewd acts with an individual under 14, and mutilating human remains of a body.
D4VD is a singer-songwriter born and raised in New York City. He rose to fame in 2022 when his songs, “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me,” went viral on TikTok. D4VD’s musical style can be described as lo-fi, alternative, and R&B.
Back in September 2025, decomposed human remains were found inside the trunk of an impounded car by the Los Angeles Police. The body was discovered due to the foul odor it was producing. The car was in the name of D4VD. That day, he was performing in Minneapolis for his album tour. Following the discovery, the remaining shows of his tour were canceled.
Eight days later, the body was determined to be Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Her body was discovered one day after her 15th birthday. She was 14 when she died. The cause of death has not been released to the public. Celeste had run away in April 2024, the last time she contacted her family being May of that year. Her family reported her missing three times.
Nearly a year later, on April 16th, 2026, D4VD was arrested on suspicion of murdering Celeste. He is being held without bail. On April 20th, the charges were placed against him. The murder charge carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole and the death penalty. The death penalty application to D4VD would be determined at a later time.
When the original news dropped about the discovery of the body, many people online began to connect the dots between D4VD and Celeste. Social media leaves a paper trail of its interactions and relationships over months. In January 2024, Celeste was seen in a Twitch livestream with D4VD. Between January and March, pictures circulated of D4VD exiting a Tesla blocks away from Celeste’s family’s home.
Celeste was photographed backstage at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, where D4VD was performing. By June, she had been reported missing by her family. A digital camera inside D4VD’s residence revealed photos of the pair taken between December 2024 and January 2025. Those are the final photos taken of Celeste before she was found dead in September.
Due to the overwhelming evidence found online, many people felt that the LAPD was not doing their part to arrest D4VD earlier. Chief Jim McDonnell commented that their duty was “to not fuel suspicion.”
Celeste’s family hopes this arrest will finally bring justice to their family after almost a year of waiting. Celeste’s death has been devastating for their family. Following the arrest of D4VD, her family sees this as “justice for Celeste.” D4VD’s attorney maintains that he is innocent and was not the cause of Celeste’s passing.
D4VD’s trial will determine the outcome of these charges. A court date has not been announced.
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