D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez: What do we know?

D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez met online when she was still in middle school and he was a rising singer whose first hits were still months away. Their alleged relationship is now the central thread prosecutors are using to explain both motive and timeline in a murder case that stretches from a Hollywood Hills garage to a February 2027 trial date. The question for readers is what the public record actually shows about how the two connected, how long it lasted, and how it figures into the charges.

Early online contact

Prosecutors say the first messages between D4vd, then 16, and Celeste, then 11, began in early 2022 inside a fan chatroom. Court filings describe months of casual conversation that gradually turned personal. No public evidence shows the pair met in person until the following year.

By late 2023, when Celeste turned 13, the texts had shifted. Prosecutors allege the two were by then sexually involved and had begun discussing plans to marry. The messages are cited as the earliest concrete record of physical contact.

Defense attorneys have not disputed the existence of the messages. They have, however, told reporters that the messages alone do not prove D4vd caused Celeste’s death or that he knew she was underage when the relationship started.

Weekend travel and family visits

By spring 2024, Celeste was spending most weekends at D4vd’s rented house in the Hollywood Hills. Uber records show repeated trips between Lake Elsinore and Los Angeles. Prosecutors say she also joined him on short trips to Las Vegas and London, the latter cleared by her parents through a signed consent form.

Detective testimony at the July 2026 preliminary hearing stated that Celeste’s immediate family, an aunt, cousins, and at least one friend knew about the relationship. The same testimony indicated D4vd’s mother, Colleen Burke, had also met the girl.

Text exchanges from this period reference matching tattoos, a possible pregnancy, and an abortion. Prosecutors argue these details demonstrate an ongoing sexual relationship that continued until the weeks before Celeste’s disappearance.

Shifting tone in messages

Messages recovered from both phones show the relationship was not static. In one exchange Celeste complained that “all we do is just hang out and have sex.” In others she expressed jealousy and threatened to reveal details that could “end his career and destroy his life.”

Prosecutors cite those threats as the motive for murder. They argue that Celeste’s willingness to go public created a financial and reputational risk for D4vd, whose debut album was scheduled for release the following spring.

Defense filings counter that the texts show ordinary teenage friction rather than a credible plan to expose the relationship. They note that no public disclosure ever occurred.

Last confirmed sighting

The final verified record places Celeste at D4vd’s Hollywood Hills address on April 23, 2025. Uber logs show a ride request from that location to an address in Riverside County that was never completed. After that date, her phone went silent.

Her family filed missing-persons reports in May and again in July. Both were treated as runaways. No Amber Alert was issued.

Police have not released any surveillance footage or witness statements placing Celeste with D4vd after April 23. The defense maintains that absence of evidence is itself significant.

Discovery of remains

On September 8, 2025, a Los Angeles police impound lot opened the trunk of a Tesla registered to D4vd. Inside were the dismembered remains of a teenager later identified through a distinctive “Shhh…” tattoo on the right index finger. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries.

Prosecutors allege a chainsaw and inflatable pool were used in the dismemberment, though the tools have not been entered into the public record. D4vd was in Texas at the time the car was towed for unpaid parking tickets.

The discovery prompted immediate online speculation. Within 24 hours D4vd became the top Google search in the United States, surpassing any music-related query tied to his name.

Arrest and charges

D4vd was arrested in Houston on April 16, 2026. Four days later he was charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bail.

The special circumstances—lying in wait, financial gain, and murdering a potential witness—make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has not yet decided whether to seek it.

A privately retained defense team withdrew in September 2026. A public defender was assigned the following month. The change coincided with a scheduled status conference that set the trial for February 2027.

Civil suit and family statements

In September 2026, Celeste’s family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against D4vd, his mother, and two managers. The complaint seeks unspecified damages and calls for the death penalty in the criminal case. No response has been filed yet.

The suit alleges that D4vd’s team facilitated travel and housing arrangements while knowing Celeste’s age. Court documents in the criminal case have not confirmed those allegations.

Public statements from the family have focused on accountability rather than financial recovery. Relatives have told reporters they want the criminal trial to proceed without further delay.

October 2026 hearing update

At the October 19 status conference, prosecutors confirmed they are still reviewing thousands of pages of phone data and social-media records. The defense requested additional time to examine the same material.

Judge Curtis Kin set a final pretrial date for January 2027. No motions to dismiss any charges have been granted. The case remains on track for the February trial.

Outside the courthouse, a small group of fans held signs supporting D4vd. Online, reaction ranged from renewed calls for the death penalty to accusations that media coverage has already convicted him.

Career trajectory amid charges

D4vd’s debut album Withered was released in April 2025 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. Streaming numbers dropped sharply after the September discovery but have since stabilized. No new music has been released since the arrest.

Interscope has not issued a public statement on his contract status. Industry observers note that similar cases involving major-label artists have resulted in suspended promotion rather than outright termination until legal outcomes are final.

Merchandise and touring revenue have been frozen by court order. The label continues to collect streaming royalties, which are being held in escrow pending the trial’s conclusion.

What happens next

The February 2027 trial date is the next fixed point. Both sides will continue to litigate the admissibility of text messages, travel records, and witness statements through the winter. A death-penalty decision by the District Attorney could come at any time before jury selection.

For now, the public record on the relationship rests on the messages, the travel logs, and the testimony already presented at the preliminary hearing. Everything else remains allegation until the jury returns a verdict.