It’s been two years since the disappearance of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Since then, her friends and family have been desperately waiting for new evidence to emerge. Now, there is new evidence regarding the arrest of singer-songwriter D4vd. But what exactly was this new evidence that law enforcement obtained since we first wrote about this story in September? And what happens next?
David Anthony Burke, also known as D4vd, was arrested on April 16, 2026, in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. David rose to fame on TikTok in 2022 with his viral hits “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me.” Before music, D4vd was a Fortnite content creator who began climbing the ladder of his music career. D4vd’s success rose with the release of his EPs Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals, leading to his debut album Withered, released in April of 2025.
So what led to the musician becoming the prime suspect of murder?
Although it is unclear exactly what took place between Celeste and D4vd, we do know that their connection went far beyond that of a fan and celebrity. According to CNN reports, D4vd had great banter with Celeste, whom he met on a Twitch stream. The report states that the initial conversation lasted until 3 am. From there, she was spotted in his car near her residency, which is also about 40 minutes from where her body was discovered. Again, we are unsure how the relationship developed or what its ins and outs are. Still, from the evidence obtained by law enforcement, it seems as though the relationship turned violent.
Celeste was found in the front trunk of D4vd’s Tesla vehicle in a tow yard in Los Angeles, California. She was found on September 8, 2025, the day after would have been her 15th birthday. She had multiple injuries that were caused by objects, which allowed detectives to label this as a homicide. Although Celeste was found in the front truck of his vehicle, investigators still needed to solidify what exactly was the cause of her death. They needed to determine whether it was a homicide or merely an accident.
The evidence that led to the D4vd’s arrest for first-degree murder
Between the moment that authorities found the body of Celeste and April of 2026, when D4vd was arrested, there were key points on how they were able to build their case against him after several months.
When Celeste was discovered, the medical examiner listed her cause of death as “deferred,” which delayed investigators from immediately charging him with murder. Investigators needed to determine if he was the cause of her death because D4vd’s car was abandoned for a period of time. Because this was such a complex investigation, it took months for investigators to conduct interviews and related work to determine exactly what happened to Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
After seven months of analyzing evidence, it was determined by investigators and a jury that D4vd was the prime suspect in Celeste’s death.
An ABC 7 News article presented the circumstances surrounding Celeste’s remains. Parlé would like to let you know that the details of the remains are extremely graphic and can be disturbing to readers. According to the medical examiner’s report that was released on April 22, the young teen was found dismembered in the front trunk of D4vd’s Tesla, as her body weighed a mere 71 pounds. The L.A. County Medical Examiner’s Office found one stab wound on her right abdomen, which injured her liver, and her second stab wound was on her left chest. The office investigators also determined her body to be in an advanced state of decomposition and dismembered into several parts. It was even determined that the left ring and pinky fingers were mutilated as well. It seems as though D4vd attempted to cover up the murder by disposing of her remains. The report also showed levels of benzodiazepines (i.e., Xanax) and methamphetamine, which is a deadly combination when taken together. Benzodiazepines are prescribed to treat anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, and seizures. Whereas methamphetamines are designed to stay awake, focus, or be used for physical activity. When these drugs are used together, it can cause the body to go into an intense strain due to the medications sending mixed signals to the brain. This combination can lead to a deadly overdose.
With the presented evidence, prosecutors believe that D4vd had a sexual relationship with Celeste and killed her after she threatened to expose it. He allegedly engaged in “continuous sexual abuse” of Celeste starting in September 2023, when she was 13, and he was 18, until September 2024, according to prosecutors.
The Los Angeles District Attorney added “special circumstances” to the charge, which makes the sentence eligible for the death penalty.
David Anthony Burke was charged with first-degree murder, lewd, lascivious acts with a child under 14, and mutilation of human remains. He is currently incarcerated in Los Angeles at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility without bail. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 29, 2026, but it was postponed to May 26, 2026. We will continue to update on this case.
The Parlé Family is hoping that justice will be served for the family and friends of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
