More than a year after 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was reported missing, a 21-year-old musician known as D4vd has been charged with her murder, following months of public speculation online.
The artist, whose legal name is David Burke, has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, along with additional counts including lewd and lascivious acts involving a minor and mutilation of a body. A judge has ordered that he be held without bail as the case progresses.
Rivas Hernandez was last seen on April 5, 2024, in Lake Elsinore, California. Around the time the seventh grader went missing, the two were reportedly in frequent contact, including an appearance by Rivas Hernandez in a late-night Twitch livestream with Burke, where they were seen joking and talking.
Prosecutors allege that she was killed with a sharp object on or around April 23, 2025, after being at Burke’s home in the Hollywood Hills. Her body was discovered months later, on Sep. 8, 2025, in the trunk of a black Tesla registered to Burke at a Los Angeles tow yard.
If convicted, Burke may face life in prison without the possibility of parole or even the death penalty, though the Los Angeles County District Attorney, Nathan J. Hochman, said his office has not yet decided whether to pursue capital punishment. Authorities did not publicly identify Burke as a suspect until his arrest, which came roughly seven months after the discovery of the body.
The case has drawn widespread attention online and on social media, particularly on TikTok, where Burke built a large following, as his 2022 song “Romantic Homicide” went viral. Social media users have been closely following developments, with many attempting to piece together timelines and connections. Many are even connecting the lyrics of his viral song to the case. Posts circulating online have claimed to show the two together prior to her death, which fueled speculation on Burke long before formal charges were filed.
Though online attention continues to circulate, authorities have not commented on the accuracy of the specific claims on social media. The case will be decided through the legal process. Burke remains in custody as proceedings continue.
