Three days after being charged with murder, singer D4vd whose real name is David Anthony Burke returned to court on April 23, and
prosecutors introduced alarming new details. The D4vd murder case child abuse evidence now includes what prosecutors describe as a
large volume of illegal images allegedly discovered on an iCloud account linked to the 21-year-old artist.
Deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County Beth Silverman told the court that only one of eight terabytes on the account had been
downloaded so far. Prosecutors noted that because of the sensitive nature of the material, defense attorneys can review it on a secure
computer at the justice center rather than receiving copies directly.
D4vd has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His legal team maintains he did not cause Celeste’s death and has pledged to vigorously
defend him.
What D4vd is charged with
D4vd faces three formal counts: murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human
remains. The criminal complaint also includes special circumstance allegations of murdering a witness, murder for financial gain, and
lying in wait. Prosecutors further allege he personally used a sharp instrument during the commission of the crime.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has stated that Celeste was under 14 when the alleged abuse began.
According to prosecutors, D4vd allegedly killed her after she threatened to expose his conduct and damage his career. Her
dismembered remains were then reportedly placed into bags and stored in the front trunk of his Tesla, where they decomposed for
over four months before being discovered at a Hollywood tow yard on Sept. 8, 2025.
D4vd remains in custody without bail.
The autopsy findings and victim’s identity
Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been reported missing on April 5, 2024, when she was 13. Authorities believe she was 14 at the time of
her death. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled her manner of death as homicide, with the cause listed as multiple
penetrating injuries to the chest and abdomen, including damage to the liver.
Toxicology results showed presumptive positives for benzodiazepines and methamphetamine. Though the cause and manner of death
were determined in December, a court order delayed the release of findings until April 22, 2026. Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey
Ukpo said the family had waited an unfathomable amount of time to learn what happened to their daughter.
Members of Celeste’s family did not attend the April 23 hearing. Their attorney told TMZ they were experiencing profound emotional
pain after reviewing the autopsy.
D4vd’s rise to fame before his arrest
Born in Queens, New York, and raised in Houston, Texas, D4vd began his entertainment career as a gaming streamer. When copyright
issues disrupted the music he used in his videos, he started writing his own songs using a phone app. Several tracks went viral on
TikTok, launching a full music career. He released his debut album, Withered, in April 2025 and had just started a world tour when
human remains were found in his car last September.
He canceled the remainder of his U.S. tour dates after cooperating with authorities. His legal team has continued to deny his
involvement in Celeste’s death.
Source: E! News, April 23, 2026
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