Singer D4vd accused of dismembering 14-year-old girl with chainsaw before she was found in boot of his Tesla
Warning: This story contains content which some readers may find distressing
Prosecutors have released court documents containing their accusations against the singer D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, over his alleged killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Her decomposing body was found in a Tesla last year that allegedly belonged to the singer.
In the court documents, which AP reports legal representatives for D4vd had asked to keep sealed, it claims that the singer met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 and he started sexually abusing her two years later in November 2023 when she was 13 and he was 18.
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Prosecutors argue that he killed her after she threatened to reveal their relationship, with the document alleging: "Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out."
Legal representatives for D4vd have said he is innocent.
They said: "Let us be clear - the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.
"There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence."
The court documents claim that on 22 April, 2025, D4vd and Rivas Hernandez had an argument where she expressed jealousy of his other relationships and said she could reveal information about their relationship to 'end his career and destroy his life'.
Prosecutors allege that on the following day (23 April, 2025) the singer sent a rideshare car to pick her up from her home in Lake Elsinore, California, and bring her to to his Hollywood home.
They say that there were messages between them until she arrived at around 10:10pm, after which her phone went silent, and the document alleges that at 10:30pm D4vd sent her a message asking where she was, which prosecutors allege was an attempt to cover his tracks and believe the child was already dead.
They allege that D4vd stabbed Rivas Hernandez multiple times and watched her bleed to death.
The court document also claims that on 1 May he bought two chainsaws online and used them to dismember her body in an inflatable pool in his garage he'd bought on 5 May.
Prosecutors claim blue plastic fragments from the pool were discovered in the girl's wounds, and that the ring finger and little finger of her left had were removed.
"Defendant took horrifying measures to destroy and discard the victim’s body," prosecutors said as part of their allegations, claiming he put her remains in a body bag in a Tesla belonging to him which he would later park in a Hollywood street where it was towed.
Further allegations included D4vd driving to Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County, around 110 miles away from his home, to get rid of evidence, before driving home and then going on a radio show to promote his upcoming album Withered.
The passport of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in that area in January.
A post-mortem on the child's body ruled that she had died from penetrating wounds.
A timeline of Celeste Rivas Hernandez and the allegations against D4vd
April 2024
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, aged 13, is reported missing by her family from Lake Elsinore, California. It is the third time she is reported missing that year, but tragically she is never seen by her parents again.
25 April 2025
D4vd’s debut album Withered is released. It debuts at No. 13 on the Billboard chart, with 30,000 units sold in the first week. He tells The Hollywood Reporter that 80 percent of the album was made on his phone and he recorded vocal takes in his sister’s closet.
5 August 2025
D4vd begins a world tour, starting with a gig in Del Mar, California.
8 September 2025
Hernandez’s severely decomposed body is found in the front trunk of a Tesla linked to D4vd. D4vd’s representatives say he is cooperating with the investigation.
9 September 2025
D4vd performs as planned at The Fillmore Minneapolis, despite the ongoing investigation around Hernandez’s death.
18 September 2025
Hernandez’s family create a fundraiser and release a statement, which reads: “As many of you know, Celeste Rivas Hernandez has been identified as the body found last week. She was a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend. Her family is heartbroken and devastated by this tragic loss. Any funds you are able to donate are greatly appreciated.” More than £24,000 is raised for them.
19 September 2025
D4vd cancels the rest of his world tour, and the deluxe version of his debut album is not released as planned.
24 November 2025
The Los Angeles medical examiners officer receives a court order preventing any details of Hernandez’s death from being released to the public.
16 April 2026
D4vd is arrested and held without bail. A preliminary evidentiary hearing will begin on 26 May where a judge will decide whether there is probable cause for a trial.
Joe Harker