As harrowing new details emerge about the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, her family is said to be in “indescribable pain.”
In a court filing on Wednesday, April 29, Los Angeles County prosecutors alleged singer D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, stabbed the teenager multiple times, and dismembered her body in his garage with a chainshaw.
The nine-page document said Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 years old in January 2022, and allegedly began having sex with her when she was 13 and he was 18. Prosecutors alleged the singer killed the teen to prevent her from exposing the sexual abuse.
Related: D4vd Case Takes Horrific Turn With Chainsaw, Shovel, Payoff Allegations
Earlier today, an attorney for the Rivas Hernandez family released a statement to Urban Hollywood 411, saying the teen’s relatives are struggling with the horrific details of her death.
“I had the heartbreaking responsibility of informing the Rivas Hernandez family of the horrifying allegations submitted in court yesterday that David Anthony Burke allegedly stabbed Celeste, ‘stood by while she bled’ to death, used a chainsaw to cut off her limbs, and bought a ‘burn cage’ with the plan to ‘incinerate the evidence,'” attorney Patrick Steinfeld shared.
Steinfeld called discussing Celeste’s death with her family the “most difficult thing” he’s ever done in his 37 years practicing law.
The attorney admitted he initially encouraged the family to speak publicly, but with “gruesome details” being released “almost daily,” they have decided not to comment now or in the future.
“There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing right now,” the attorney said. “All they want is time to grieve and heal.”
Burke, 21, is charged with first-degree murder and other counts in the teenager’s death. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.
Earlier today, the Los Angeles County medical examiner released an updated death certificate for Rivas Hernandez. Her cause of death was changed from “deferred” to “multiple penetrating injuries.”
The certificate, obtained by TMZ, was also updated from saying the teen was not pregnant when she died, to “U” for unknown if she was pregnant in the year before her death.
Wednesday’s court filing said LAPD detectives obtained text messages between Burke and Rivas Hernandez that contained “references to sex, pregnancy, abortion, and use of the Plan B emergency contraceptive.”
The filing also alleged investigators found explicit photographs “corroborating” the pair was engaged in a “sexual relationship.”
Detectives said Rivas Hernandez was killed at the singer’s Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, one day after the two got into a “lengthy argument” via text and she “threatened” to disclose information that would “destroy his life.”
Her decomposed remains were found in September 2025, in the trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to Burke.
The singer is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on May 26.
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