As the walls close in on 21-year-old singer D4vd (born David Anthony Burke), there’s also news of a series of increasingly disturbing revelations. What began as a missing persons case has spiraled into one of the most high-profile and gruesome murder trials in recent entertainment history. In the latest updates regarding D4vd’s case, newly filed court documents and resurfaced social media footage are painting a predatory and violent picture of the “Romantic Homicide” artist’s final months before his arrest.
Perhaps the most eerie development in D4vd’s case is a resurfaced livestream from July 2025. According to TMZ, in the video, Burke is seen hanging out with friends—including someone named Neo, who has since testified before a grand jury. During the stream, Burke abruptly apologizes for a foul smell in his bathroom, jokingly attributing it to his using the bathroom earlier in the day.
However, prosecutors now allege a much more sinister reality. According to Deputy D.A. Beth Silverman, the singer was actively lying to “friends, business associates, and others who noticed the strong smell of decay in and around his home and vehicle.”
The prosecution claims that at the time of that livestream, the remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were hidden within the residence. Investigators believe the noticeable odor noted by visitors was not plumbing-related but was the result of a dismembered body being kept in a rental home for months before being moved to the trunk of his Tesla.
More Details About D4vd’s Case Are Released
The prosecution has successfully reconstructed a deeply troubling timeline that they believe establishes a clear motive. According to legal briefs, D4vd arranged for Celeste to be transported to his Hollywood Hills, Calif., home on April 23, 2025. This followed an alleged argument the night before, captured in text messages that investigators say marked a violent shift in their relationship.
Prosecutors allege that Celeste was threatening to expose their illegal and inappropriate relationship, a move that would have a major impact on D4vd’s burgeoning music career. In response, the District Attorney alleges Burke stabbed the teenager multiple times and watched her die before beginning a mechanical effort to conceal the crime. The documents claim he placed her body in an inflatable pool in his garage to contain the blood evidence before using a chainsaw to dismember the 14-year-old.
On April 20, 2026, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced a slew of heavy charges in D4vd’s case. Burke faces first-degree murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain, and murdering a witness to a separate investigation.
Because of these special circumstances, the 21-year-old is facing a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Hochman’s office has noted that Celeste was a witness to separate “lewd and lascivious” acts allegedly committed by Burke when she was under the age of 14, further complicating the legal landscape for the defense.
The emotional toll of D4vd’s case on the Rivas Hernandez family has reached a breaking point. Through their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, the family released a statement, “In light of the gruesome details emerging almost daily, the family has decided not to make any statements now or in the future. There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing right now. They still have bills to pay and jobs they go to every day. All they want is time to grieve and heal. Please grant the Rivas Hernandez family grace and compassion.”
The family has decided to retreat from the public eye to grieve, and navigate the reality that Celeste’s remains sat in a trunk for over four months before being discovered on September 8, 2025.
Despite the mounting evidence, including allegations that Burke was in possession of a “significant amount” of child pornography at the time of his arrest, his high-powered legal team, led by Blair Berk, continues to plead not guilty.
In a statement, the defense team asserted, “The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death.”
