D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez: What’s the real bond
D4vd’s legal case has drawn attention because the alleged relationship with Celeste Rivas Hernandez sits at the center of the prosecution’s theory. Court records show the 21-year-old artist is charged with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains after the 14-year-old’s remains were found in the front trunk of his Tesla in September 2025. He has pleaded not guilty.
Career before charges
D4vd, born David Anthony Burke in Queens and raised in Houston, began uploading tracks in 2021 to avoid copyright strikes on Fortnite clips. The lo-fi single “Romantic Homicide” went viral on TikTok in 2022 and reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot Alternative Songs chart.
Interscope/Darkroom signed him that September. He released the album Withered in April 2025 and opened arena shows for SZA before the label severed ties later that year.
His early audience came from gaming edits and SoundCloud loops; the same platforms later carried messages prosecutors say connect him to Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Who was Celeste
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was born around 2010 and lived with her parents in Lake Elsinore, California. She had been reported missing several times before her remains were identified through dental records and a matching “Shhh…” tattoo.
Family members told investigators she had mentioned a boyfriend named David and showed them a finger tattoo she said matched his. Prosecutors say she was 11 when online contact began and 13 when the alleged sexual relationship started.
She was 5'2" and weighed about 71 pounds at the time her body was discovered. The medical examiner listed multiple penetrating injuries as the cause of death.
Start of contact
Prosecutors allege the pair began messaging as early as 2022. Celeste was still in middle school; D4vd was finishing high school and beginning to tour.
Texts recovered from both phones show early exchanges about music and daily life. Prosecutors say the tone shifted to sexual content by November 2023, when Celeste was 13.
Defense attorneys maintain that no sexual relationship existed and that the messages have been misinterpreted.
Texts and travel
Messages from early 2024 reference a pregnancy scare and the purchase of Plan B. One text attributed to Celeste reads, “I care abt u i killed my kid [for] you.”
She traveled with him to Las Vegas, London, and Texas to meet his family. Friends of D4vd later told police they believed she was a 19-year-old USC student.
Investigators say D4vd once paid a classmate $1,000 to replace a phone confiscated by Celeste’s parents so contact could continue.
Final weeks
On April 22, 2025, a series of texts show an argument over other women. Celeste allegedly threatened to expose the relationship and ruin his career.
The next day she arrived at his Hollywood Hills home. Prosecutors claim D4vd stabbed her multiple times shortly after and left her body in the garage before moving it to the Tesla trunk.
D4vd’s album Withered came out three days later. The car remained parked until it was impounded in September 2025.
Evidence collected
Search warrants turned up blood and DNA in the garage, online receipts for body bags and chainsaws, and alleged child sexual abuse material on devices belonging to D4vd.
Prosecutors argue the purchases and digital files demonstrate planning and intent to conceal evidence. The defense disputes the chain of custody and the interpretation of the material.
A preliminary hearing concluded in July 2026; the judge found sufficient evidence for trial.
Public statements
After the arraignment, D4vd’s attorney Blair Berk told reporters, “David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.”
Celeste’s family issued a statement calling for the death penalty if convicted and filed a civil wrongful-death suit against D4vd, his mother, and his former managers.
D4vd switched to a public defender in August 2026, claiming indigence; the family’s attorney disputes that claim given prior label advances.
Career fallout
Interscope canceled the Withered reissue and any remaining tour dates. Streaming numbers for older singles dipped after the charges became public.
Some radio stations quietly pulled tracks; others kept rotations while noting the legal situation in on-air disclaimers.
Brand partnerships tied to gaming and lifestyle products were paused or reassigned, reflecting standard industry practice when an artist faces serious charges.
Next steps
Trial is scheduled for 2027. Both sides are expected to file additional pretrial motions on the admissibility of texts and digital evidence.
The case continues to surface in industry discussions about age verification on social platforms and the speed of major-label signings for teenage creators.
Whatever the outcome, the proceedings will test how courts weigh digital communications between a rising public figure and a minor in a murder prosecution.
Case outlook
The charges rest on the prosecution’s claim that D4vd killed Celeste Rivas Hernandez to prevent her from exposing their alleged relationship. The defense maintains he is innocent of all counts. As the legal process moves forward, the documented timeline and messages remain the clearest record of what is known about the connection between D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
