Detective says Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains were unrecognizable
A Los Angeles judge began hearing evidence in the murder case against D4vd, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
3 min read
Graphic photos of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s decomposed remains were shown Tuesday in a Los Angeles courtroom as prosecutors opened a preliminary hearing for musician D4vd, Rolling Stone reported from court.
D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, is charged in the killing of Rivas, whose remains were discovered last year in the front trunk of his Tesla after the vehicle was impounded. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
LAPD Det. Joshua Byers testified that investigators could not identify facial features because of the condition of the body. Asked by Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman whether the victim’s face was recognizable, Byers said decomposition and skin slippage made that impossible.
According to Rolling Stone, the images displayed in court included Rivas’ torso in a black plastic bag and her arms and legs in another. Other photos shown to the courtroom included a knee with blue plastic flecks that prosecutors claim came from an inflatable pool, a left hand with two fingers removed, and a tattoo reading “Shhh…” on her right index finger.
Rivas’ mother, Mercedes Martínez, sat in the front row and looked away during the presentation, Rolling Stone reported. Her father, Jesus Rivas, watched the screen and checked on his wife. Burke, 21, wore an orange jail uniform and black-rimmed glasses in court.
Prosecutors lay out their theory
Prosecutors allege Burke killed Rivas on April 23, 2025, to hide sexual abuse. In an April filing cited in court reporting, they claimed he later bought two chainsaws and an inflatable pool through Amazon and dismembered her in the garage of a rented Hollywood Hills home.
The filing alleged that Burke placed Rivas’ remains in the Tesla and then left on tour for his major-label album Withered, which was released two days after the alleged killing. The car was later towed, and in September 2025 a tow yard manager contacted police because it smelled foul and was drawing flies, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors have alleged Burke first encountered Rivas online in January 2022, when she was 11. They claim a sexual relationship began in November 2023, when she was 13 and he was 18, after his song “Romantic Homicide” had reached the Billboard Hot 100.
In the April filing, prosecutors said Rivas threatened to expose Burke before her death. The filing alleged he paid an Uber driver to bring her to his home the night before she died, then stabbed her multiple times soon after she arrived.
Body-camera video played in court
Silverman also played about 10 minutes of body-camera footage from Feb. 17, 2024, when Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies visited Burke at a West Hollywood residence, according to Rolling Stone. The visit came days after Rivas’ parents reported her missing from Lake Elsinore.
In the video, Burke told deputies he met Rivas on Discord and Instagram, had seen her once in person on Nov. 12, 2023, and last heard from her on Feb. 13. He told investigators, “She told me she was 18,” and said she was not at the house.
Burke was arrested April 16. Prosecutors added special circumstance allegations including murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait. If convicted as charged, he faces life without parole or the death penalty, though prosecutors have not said whether they will seek death.
Burke’s attorney, Blair Berk, said at an April hearing, “We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, nor was he the cause of her death.” On Tuesday, Judge Olmedo allowed Burke’s hands to remain free in court, while ordering that a waist restraint stay attached to his chair.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.