Los Angeles, CA — The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14 year old whose dismembered remains were discovered in the trunk of a Tesla belonging to musician D4vd, has called publicly for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against him as his murder case moves toward trial.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez Background of the Case
Rivas Hernandez, of Lake Elsinore, California, disappeared in the spring of 2025. On September 8, 2025, her decomposed remains were found inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, after the vehicle was impounded from a Los Angeles tow yard, having reportedly been abandoned in the Hollywood Hills for more than a month. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide, with the cause listed as multiple penetrating injuries caused by an object or objects. Investigators believe her death likely occurred in the spring of 2025, around the time she went missing.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
In April 2026, Burke was arrested and charged with first degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently being held without bail. According to court filings, prosecutors allege Burke began a relationship with Rivas Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18, and that the two exchanged messages discussing sex, pregnancy, and abortion. An updated death certificate states it remains unclear whether she was pregnant in the year before she died.
Testimony at a preliminary hearing detailed a text exchange in which Rivas Hernandez, upset over Burke’s interactions with another woman, threatened to disclose information that would damage his music career. Records show she was picked up by rideshare from her family’s home on April 23, 2025, and arrived at Burke’s Hollywood Hills residence, with his phone and vehicle departing for Santa Barbara County roughly ninety minutes later. A judge subsequently ordered Burke to stand trial, and his original defense team has since withdrawn from the case; he is now represented by a public defender.
Family Statement
On September 7, 2026, what would have been Rivas Hernandez’s 16th birthday, her family released a statement through their attorney calling for the death penalty. The statement described the death penalty as fitting for someone the family characterized as “devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience.” The family also expressed grief over her birthday, noting the difficulty of “reliving unforgettable moments even though she is no longer here.”
Prosecutorial Considerations
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not yet announced whether his office will formally seek capital punishment. Any such decision would carry practical significance beyond the courtroom: California has not carried out an execution since January 2006, and Governor Gavin Newsom instituted an official moratorium on executions in 2019.
The case remains ongoing, with Burke expected to appear in court again as proceedings continue toward trial.
