What to Know About D4vd’s Arrest for Murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez

by

After a lengthy investigation, 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has been identified as a homicide victim, and D4vd has been arrested in connection with her death.

Police arrested singer David Anthony Burke at 4:30 p.m. on April 16th. He is currently being held without bail. While no charges have been filed yet, the case will be reviewed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on April 20th.

D4vd’s lawyers stated to the Los Angeles Times that the evidence will demonstrate David Burke did not kill Celeste Rivas Hernandez and was not responsible for her death.

Police say the body of Rivas was discovered on September 8th in the trunk of a Tesla registered to an address associated with D4vd in Texas. The car had been found abandoned in the Hollywood Hills and towed to an impound lot.

A Medical Examiner’s report obtained by TopMob News indicates the cause of death is still undetermined. Because the body was badly decomposed, authorities couldn’t pinpoint when Rivas Hernandez died. However, LAPD Captain Scot Williams stated after D4vd’s arrest that she had been deceased for at least several weeks before police found her at Hollywood Tow.

Rivas Hernandez disappeared from her home in Lake Elsinore, California, on April 5, 2024, when she was 13 years old. Sadly, her remains were discovered shortly after what would have been her 15th birthday.

She was laid to rest Oct. 6 at the Queen of Heaven Cemetery and Mortuary in Rowland Heights.

Following the identification of the body on September 16th, a spokesperson for D4vd confirmed to NBC News that the singer was aware of the situation and was working with law enforcement.

The artist, known as “Romantic Homicide,” had built a fanbase by sharing content on SoundCloud and posting gameplay videos of Fortnite. He was in the middle of his Withered World Tour when he unexpectedly canceled the rest of the shows a few days later.

A legal document obtained by TopMob News in February shows that singer D4vd is considered a “target” in a grand jury investigation. Prosecutors stated in the document that he potentially committed murder in California.

Here’s what to know about D4vd and the investigation into Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death:

D4vd, whose full name is David Anthony Burke, was born in Queens, New York, and later moved to Houston, Texas, at the age of 13.

D4vd started his career by streaming games like Fortnite on YouTube, hoping to gain popularity. In 2021, he faced issues with copyrighted music in his videos, so he asked his mom for help.

He described a conversation with his mother, telling Benny Blanco for Hero magazine in September 2024 that he’d basically complained to her about not making any money. She responded by telling him to create his own music and to leave her alone, which made him realize he could actually try doing that.

D4vd, who hadn’t played any instruments or formally studied music beyond singing casually, began creating songs using an app on his phone. His music quickly gained popularity online, and after several of his tracks went viral on TikTok, his music career started to flourish.

He finally put out his first album, Withered, in April 2025, and quickly began his first tour around the world.

On September 8th, police were sent to a Hollywood tow yard after reports of a bad smell coming from a car, according to NBC News sources.

Los Angeles police discovered human remains inside a Tesla’s front trunk. The car was registered to David Anthony Burke, also known as the artist D4vd, in Hempstead, Texas.

According to police, the car was towed to the impound lot because it had been left abandoned in the Hollywood Hills.

On September 16th, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office identified remains found in a Tesla as those of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing since April 5, 2024. She was 13 years old when she disappeared.

According to records from the Medical Examiner’s Office obtained by TopMob News on September 17th, a final determination of her cause of death is still pending. While she was found on September 8th, officials believe her body had been in the car for a significant amount of time beforehand and was extremely decomposed.

After learning about the death of Rivas Hernandez, a representative for D4vd told NBC News that the singer has been notified and is working with police while continuing his tour.

Since then, D4vd canceled the remainder of his U.S. dates.

On April 16, 2026, the Los Angeles Police Department announced the arrest of D4vd in connection with the murder of Rivas Hernandez.

I was shocked to see the news on X – the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide detectives have arrested David Burke, a 21-year-old from Los Angeles, in connection with the tragic murder of Celeste Rivas. From what I understand, he’s currently being held without the possibility of bail, which means authorities believe the evidence against him is strong. It’s a heartbreaking situation, and I hope justice is served for Celeste and her family.

Read More

2026-04-17 20:47