Singer D4vd Is Now an Accused Murderer

Singer D4vd is now formally accused of killing a 14-year-old girl whose body was discovered in his towed Tesla last year. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced first-degree murder charges Monday against the 21-year-old singer, whose real name is David Burke, reports ABC7.

• "These charges include the most serious charges that a DA's office can bring—that is, first-degree murder with special circumstances," said District Attorney Nathan Hochman. "The special circumstances being: lying in wait, committing this crime for financial gain, or murdering a witness in an investigation."
• Burke is accused of killing Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was reported missing by her family at age 13 and whose body was found one day before her 15th birthday. The girl went to Burke's home on April 23, 2025, which was the last time she was seen alive, said Hochman. Her body was found in Burke's Tesla five months later, reports Variety. The vehicle had been towed after a resident called it in as abandoned. (CNN has details on the unusual circumstances.)

• Burke also faces charges of lewd and lascivious acts with an individual under 14, and mutilating a body, per the AP. While authorities have not provided details on the victim's relationship with Burke, the girl's mother told TMZ last year that she had a "boyfriend named David."
• If convicted as charged, Burke faces life in prison without parole, but he could also face the death penalty. Prosecutors will decide later whether to pursue capital punishment. Burke is being held without bail ahead of arraignment.
• The New York Times has more details on Celeste from her home in Lake Elsinore, California. She had been in Burke's "orbit" even before her family reported her missing in 2024, according to a CNN investigation.