Los Angeles — Singer d4vd Arrested in Connection with Murder of 14-Year-Old Girl

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 14-year-old girl, Celeste Rivas Hernandez, with his attorney asserting his innocence. Authorities revealed that the discovery of her body occurred inside an abandoned Tesla seven months ago.

The Los Angeles Police Department announced that homicide detectives took a 21-year-old alternative pop singer from Houston, whose real name is David Burke, into custody during the investigation of Hernandez’s murder.

The defense team, which includes lawyers Blair Burke, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, commented via email, emphasizing, “The actual evidence will show that David Burke did not kill Celeste Rivas-Hernandez, nor was she the cause of her own death.”

Officials stated that the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Monday. The police acknowledged the arrest and indicated that the Major Crimes Unit is reviewing the circumstances to determine if there’s enough evidence to file charges.

Moreover, the defense highlighted that no grand jury indictment has been issued and no criminal charges are currently filed. They further stated, “David is only being held on suspicion. We will vigorously defend his innocence.”

This remark marked their first public response to the incident. Burke’s identification as a suspect was delayed until his arrest, and he remains in jail without bail.

The singer is under scrutiny by a Los Angeles County grand jury regarding Hernandez’s death. Although the investigation was officially confidential, it became known on February 25 when his family challenged subpoenas for testimony in Texas state court.

Hernandez’s body was discovered in a Tesla that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills on September 8, right before what would have been her 15th birthday. Her disappearance was reported by her family in 2024, when she was just a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Lake Elsinore, located about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Court documents indicate she was 14 when she died.

The Tesla Model Y was registered in Burke’s name at the Texas address of a family member who received a subpoena. It was reported to have been abandoned in an upscale Hollywood Hills neighborhood.

Details from court documents reveal that investigators found a body bag within the Tesla at the tow yard, which was “covered in insects and emitted a strong odor of decomposition.” Upon inspecting the bag, detectives saw a decomposed head and torso.

Authorities from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed that they discovered severed arms and legs alongside dismembered body parts in a second bag found beneath the first. The cause of Hernandez’s death has not yet been disclosed.

D4vd, pronounced “David,” gained popularity among Gen Z for his unique mix of indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop. He caught the attention of many on TikTok in 2022 with his song “Romantic Homicide,” which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. Subsequently, he signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, releasing his debut EP “Petals to Thorns” and its follow-up “The Lost Petals” in 2023.

While on tour promoting his first full-length album, “Withered,” the discovery of Hernandez’s body led to the cancellation of the last two shows in North America, including a performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, as well as a planned European tour set to begin in Norway.