D4vd Case Timeline: Tesla to Murder Charge, what now

The discovery of a 14-year-old’s remains inside a Tesla registered to rising alt-pop artist D4vd turned a missing-persons case into a high-profile Los Angeles homicide investigation. Since the September 2025 find, the timeline has moved from an impound-lot odor to first-degree murder charges and a 2027 trial date. Readers following the case now need a clear, chronological account of how those events unfolded and where the proceedings stand today.

Early relationship and prior reports

Prosecutors allege the relationship began when Celeste Rivas Hernandez was 13 and D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, was 18. She was reported missing from Lake Elsinore multiple times before April 2024, yet each instance ended without sustained law-enforcement action. The filings claim she later threatened to expose the relationship, giving prosecutors their central motive.

Investigators say the girl arrived at Burke’s Hollywood Hills residence around April 23, 2025. Within hours, prosecutors allege, he stabbed her repeatedly. The complaint describes the killing as a response to her threat to “ruin his music career.”

After the alleged murder, authorities contend the body was dismembered and placed in two bags. The complaint lists chainsaws and an inflatable pool as tools used in the cleanup. Those details remain allegations until proven in court.

Tesla towed and left in impound

Burke’s 2023 Model Y was parked on a Hollywood Hills street for days before neighbors complained. On September 5, 2025, the car was towed to a city lot and sat unclaimed. No one connected the vehicle to the missing-teen case at that point.

The Tesla had been registered solely to Burke. Court records show it had been serviced and photographed at several locations during the spring and summer, but investigators have not disclosed whether any interior evidence was collected before the tow.

Impound staff later noted the presence of multiple air fresheners inside the cabin, a detail prosecutors now cite as an attempt to mask odor. The vehicle remained in the lot for three days before the discovery that restarted the stalled investigation.

Remains found in the frunk

On September 8, a tow-yard worker opened the front trunk and detected a strong smell. Inside were two heavy-duty bags: one containing the head and torso, the other holding the limbs. Both were sealed in what the medical examiner described as a cadaver bag and a common garbage bag.

The body was identified through forensic examination and a distinctive “Shh…” tattoo on the victim. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries and subsequent dismemberment. The official report placed the date of death close to the last time Celeste was seen alive.

Air fresheners, trace blood evidence, and the positioning of the bags were documented in the initial police report. Those findings formed the basis for the grand-jury subpoenas that followed in the winter of 2025.

Grand jury and charging decisions

By late 2025 the case had moved to a grand-jury setting. Prosecutors presented cellphone records, witness statements, and forensic links between the body and the Tesla. Burke was named a target in multiple subpoenas, though he remained free during this period.

On April 16, 2026, LAPD arrested him at a residence in the same Hollywood Hills neighborhood. He was booked without incident and held without bail. Four days later the district attorney filed first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and mutilation of a human body.

The special-circumstance allegations include lying in wait and murder of a witness. Prosecutors argue the killing was planned to silence Celeste before she could disclose the relationship. Defense attorneys have rejected those claims in open court.

Defense team and plea

High-profile counsel Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter initially represented Burke. In a post-arrest statement they said the evidence would show he “did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.”

Burke entered a not-guilty plea at his April 20 arraignment. The preliminary hearing stretched through June and concluded in July 2026. The judge found sufficient evidence to bind the case over for trial, scheduled for 2027.

In late August the original defense team withdrew. Court filings list an indigence claim as the reason for the switch to the public defender’s office. The victim’s family has publicly questioned that financial assertion.

Missing evidence and investigative gaps

Prosecutors have acknowledged that several items listed in early warrants remain unrecovered. These include the alleged murder weapon, two fingers reportedly bearing tattoos, multiple phones, and certain videos. No explanation for their absence has been offered in open court.

Defense attorneys have signaled they will challenge chain-of-custody issues and the handling of the Tesla after it was towed. The defense has not yet filed formal motions, but the October 19 status conference is expected to set a briefing schedule.

Investigators continue to examine electronic devices seized from Burke’s residence. Additional search warrants executed in May 2026 have not yielded public updates, leaving both sides to prepare without complete discovery.

Civil suit and family response

In September 2026 the victim’s family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit naming Burke, several family members, and related business entities. The complaint seeks unspecified damages and echoes the criminal allegations of a long-running sexual relationship.

Through their attorney the family has called for the death penalty if Burke is convicted. They described him as “devoid of feelings” and said the civil action would proceed regardless of the criminal outcome.

The suit also names companies connected to Burke’s music career. Attorneys for the family argue those entities profited from the relationship they claim was concealed. No response to the civil complaint has been filed yet.

Status conference and trial outlook

The next scheduled hearing is a status conference on October 19, 2026. Both sides are expected to address discovery disputes and set a formal trial date within the 2027 calendar year. No plea discussions have been reported.

Public interest remains high. Coverage of the case has shifted from tabloid headlines to detailed court reporting as the legal process moves forward. Local outlets continue to monitor the impound lot and the Hollywood Hills address for any new developments.

Because the trial is still months away, observers note that additional evidence could surface. Both prosecution and defense have indicated they will file pre-trial motions that may reshape the narrative before jurors are seated.

Next steps for all parties

The case now centers on pre-trial litigation rather than new facts. The public defender’s office will need to review thousands of pages of discovery and decide whether to challenge the grand-jury indictment or seek a change of venue. Prosecutors must decide how to present the missing-evidence issues without weakening their case.

For the victim’s family the civil suit offers a parallel track that could produce documents not available in the criminal file. How those records intersect with the criminal proceedings will be watched closely by attorneys on both sides.

Whatever the outcome in 2027, the timeline that began with an abandoned Tesla in a city lot has already altered the trajectory of a rising music career and reopened questions about how missing-teen cases are handled in Los Angeles County.