US musician D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a teenage girl who vanished last year, officials say.
The star, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposing remains were found in September in a Tesla registered to his Texas address.
Burke, 21, also was charged with murder for financial gain and with murder of a witness to an investigation, the Los Angeles district attorney said.
In a statement after his arrest last week, his lawyers said 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.
The Los Angeles County DA's office confirmed that D4vd is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in downtown Los Angeles, and cannot comment on grand jury investigations.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said that on 23 April 2025, Rivas Hernandez went to Burke's house in the Hollywood Hills and she was never heard from again. Her dismembered remains were found on 8 September 2025 - when the investigation first began - in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.
Hochman outlined three charges against the singer, including first-degree murder with special circumstances of lying in wait and murder for financial gain. Burke allegedly killed the teenager to maintain his lucrative musical career that Celeste was threatening on that particular night.
The third charge involves the alleged murder of a witness, with evidence suggesting Rivas Hernandez was a witness in an investigation of sexual acts committed by Burke.
The investigation led to substantial evidence, but the time elapsed between Rivas Hernandez's death and the discovery of her remains complicated the situation, according to law enforcement officials.
D4vd, known for his moody indie-pop hits, was on tour when the remains were discovered and has since canceled his world tour. As of now, he remains in custody without bail.
