D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, was arrested Thursday afternoon by detectives from the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl from Lake Elsinore, California. Burke, 21, is being held without bail. His defense attorneys have firmly and publicly rejected all allegations against him. No charges have been filed as of this writing.
“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,” attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter said in a statement issued Thursday evening. “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.”
LAPD said the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday for filing consideration. Until that review is complete, Burke has not been formally charged with any crime.
How the Investigation Unfolded
Rivas Hernandez, who was reported missing from the Lake Elsinore area in 2024, was last seen alive on April 5, 2024. Her remains were discovered on September 8, 2025, after workers at Hollywood Tow reported a strong odor coming from a Tesla registered to Burke that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills, where it had reportedly sat for over a month.
Court documents state that investigators found a cadaver bag inside the vehicle’s front trunk, and that dismembered body parts were discovered in a second bag underneath the first. The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has been under a security hold, sought by police, that has prevented the release of autopsy findings.
A grand jury probe was underway since late 2025, though its existence was only publicly revealed in February 2026 when Burke’s mother, father, and brother filed an objection in a Texas court to subpoenas demanding they testify. Authorities have said Burke was identified as the target of that investigation.
Burke was arrested at approximately 4:30 p.m. at a house on Marmont Avenue in the Hollywood Hills. Sources told Rolling Stone he was cooperative when taken into custody.
D4vd’s Career and What Comes Next
D4vd first gained widespread attention in 2022 when his song “Romantic Homicide” went viral on TikTok, eventually peaking at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock and Alternative Songs chart. He subsequently signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records. His debut full-length album, “Withered,” was released in April 2025 and debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.
When Rivas Hernandez’s body was discovered last September, Burke had been on tour in support of “Withered.” The final two North American dates, along with a scheduled appearance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles and a European tour set to open in Norway, were subsequently cancelled.
Burke’s arrest marks a significant escalation in a case that has unfolded over nearly two years. His legal team’s statement makes clear they intend to contest any charges vigorously. The District Attorney’s office said its major crimes division will review the case before any charging decision is made.
Burke is presumed innocent. No charges have been filed. This story will be updated as proceedings develop.
