US singer D4vd to stand trial for murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

US singer David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, has been ordered to stand trial for the alleged murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. A Los Angeles judge ruled on July 27, 2026, that there was sufficient evidence following a five-day preliminary hearing to proceed with charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Burke, 21, remains held without bail, and his arraignment hearing is scheduled for August 31, 2026.

The ruling follows the discovery of Celeste Rivas Hernandez's dismembered remains on September 8, 2025, in the front trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to Burke in a Hollywood tow yard. Prosecutors allege that Burke killed Hernandez around April 23, 2025, after she threatened to expose their relationship and potentially harm his music career. Evidence presented during the preliminary hearing included text messages between Burke and Hernandez, DNA matching her blood found in Burke's garage, and the presence of multiple air fresheners and a strong odor of human decomposition in the Tesla. Burke has pleaded not guilty to the charges.