Judge Orders D4vd to Stand Trial for Murder

A judge has decided that singer D4vd will face trial in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas. After five days of preliminary hearings, the judge mandated that the trial should commence within the next 90 days. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that the possibility of the death penalty is being considered.

D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, is charged with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Reports suggest that he allegedly killed Rivas because she threatened to reveal their illegal sexual relationship.

Rivas’ dismembered and severely decomposed body was found inside D4vd’s Tesla, which had been recovered from an impound lot.

The court allowed disturbing images of Rivas’ remains to be shown during the preliminary hearings, and the prosecution presented text messages purportedly exchanged between the two that allegedly indicate their involvement in a sexual relationship, despite her being underage.

D4vd is 21 years old, and under California’s “Romeo and Juliet” law, minors aged 14 to 17 can consent to sexual activity, but only with individuals no more than three years older than themselves.

Prosecutors allege that D4vd and Rivas had an argument back in April 2025. After sending an Uber to her home, she was taken to his place.

The prosecution claims that knowing he needed to silence her, fearing she would jeopardize his music career, D4vd stabbed Rivas multiple times shortly after her arrival at his home.

Further allegations suggest that after the murder, D4vd bought chainsaws, a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, and an inflatable pool. Prosecutors claim he placed her body in the pool and used a chainsaw and potentially other tools to dismember her. They also mentioned that experts found small blue plastic shards embedded in Rivas’ remains.

D4vd is accused of cutting off two of Rivas’ fingers because they had his name tattooed on them, and the prosecution noted that those fingers have not been retrieved.

D4vd gained fame with his hit song “Romantic Suicide,” released in November 2023. The music video controversially features him standing over a woman’s bloody body while singing unsettling lyrics about regret over killing her.

He has denied all charges and is expected to return to court on August 31 for arraignment.