Celeste Rivas Hernandez: What we know about the D4vd case

Celeste Rivas Hernandez was fourteen when her remains were found inside a Tesla belonging to rising musician D4vd. The discovery in September 2025 launched a case that has moved from missing-person reports to capital murder charges in less than two years. Court records now outline a timeline that stretches from late 2023 to the scheduled trial window in early 2027, and the public record is expanding with each filing.

Early life in Lake Elsinore

Celeste was born September 7, 2010, the first-generation daughter of Salvadoran immigrants. She lived roughly seventy-five miles east of downtown Los Angeles, in the Riverside County city of Lake Elsinore. Family statements describe a girl who liked singing and dancing, and who had recently started wearing braces.

Her disappearance was reported in April 2024. Police logs list her last confirmed contact with relatives around that period, but no public sightings after spring of that year. The case remained open for seventeen months.

Her remains were identified through DNA and a distinctive “Shhh…” tattoo on her right index finger. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled the manner of death a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries.

Timeline of disappearance

Investigators place Celeste’s last known movements in the weeks before the April 23, 2025, date cited in charging documents. Prosecutors allege she was invited to a Hollywood Hills residence that evening and never left.

Two weeks later, authorities say her body was dismembered with chainsaws in an inflatable pool inside a garage. The remains were placed in two bags and stored in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to D4vd.

The vehicle was later towed and impounded. Odor complaints from the impound lot led to the discovery of the bags on September 8, 2025.

Relationship allegations

Prosecutors claim a sexual relationship began in November 2023, when Celeste was thirteen and D4vd was eighteen. Court filings reference thousands of text messages, discussions of marriage, and mentions of pregnancy and abortion.

Defense attorneys have rejected the narrative, stating that evidence will show D4vd neither caused Celeste’s death nor mutilated her remains. They have not yet presented an alternate timeline.

Public records indicate the two maintained contact across state lines during the period when Celeste was reported missing, a point prosecutors say supports the continuous-abuse charge.

Arrest and charges

D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, was arrested April 16, 2026, in Houston. Four days later he was charged with first-degree murder under special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under fourteen, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

The special circumstances—lying in wait, murder for financial gain, and killing a witness—make him eligible for the death penalty, though the district attorney has not announced whether that sentence will be sought.

He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. His original private counsel withdrew; public defenders now represent him.

Preliminary hearing outcome

A July 2026 preliminary hearing tested the sufficiency of evidence. The judge ruled the case would proceed to trial, finding probable cause on all counts.

Autopsy results released earlier that spring showed ethanol in Celeste’s system but no other substances. The coroner documented severed limbs and two missing fingers from the left hand, injuries prosecutors attribute to post-mortem dismemberment.

Defense objections focused on chain-of-custody issues and the timing of certain digital records, but the court found the evidence adequate to advance.

Financial-motive claims

Prosecutors allege D4vd acted to protect his rising career. His debut album Withered was released days after the alleged killing date. Court papers claim Celeste had threatened to expose the relationship, which they say supplied the motive for murder for financial gain.

Defense filings counter that no financial records or communications demonstrate such intent. They argue the prosecution’s theory remains speculative until tested at trial.

The civil wrongful-death suit filed by Celeste’s family in September 2026 names D4vd, his mother, and additional parties, seeking damages tied to the same allegations.

Upcoming court dates

A status conference on October 19, 2026, set the next hearing for January 11, 2027. If no plea is reached, trial could begin in February 2027.

Both sides continue to exchange discovery. Prosecutors have indicated they may present additional digital evidence, while the defense has signaled motions to exclude certain statements and records.

Media access to hearings remains high; the case has drawn coverage from national outlets and local Riverside County reporters tracking developments in Lake Elsinore.

Family statements

Celeste’s relatives released a statement describing her as “a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance.” They have called for full accountability and noted that the death penalty would be “perfect for this kind of human being” if pursued.

The family has largely stayed out of daily media cycles, issuing statements only through attorneys. They continue to attend status conferences in Los Angeles.

Community vigils in Lake Elsinore have marked anniversaries of her disappearance and the discovery of her remains, with local officials acknowledging the case’s impact on the city’s missing-persons resources.

Defense position

After arraignment, D4vd’s attorneys issued a statement asserting that evidence will show he did not murder Celeste or cause her death. They have not offered an alternative explanation for how her remains entered his vehicle.

Public defenders now handling the case have requested additional time to review the volume of electronic records seized during the investigation.

No trial date is locked; both sides expect further motions before any jury is seated.

Next steps for the case

The January 2027 hearing will determine whether the prosecution seeks the death penalty and whether additional charges or enhancements will be added. Pre-trial motions on digital evidence and witness testimony are expected to shape the scope of the trial.

Whatever the outcome, the record already shows how a missing-teen investigation expanded into a capital case involving a public figure. Future proceedings will test the prosecution’s timeline against the defense’s denials in open court.