Singer D4vd will be formally charged Monday in the death of a 14-year-old girl whose stays have been found in the trunk of his Tesla in Los Angeles in September, greater than a 12 months after she was reported lacking.
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D4vd, the 21-year-old singer whose actual identify is David Anthony Burke, was arrested and held final week in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Burke will be charged with first-degree murder, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman informed reporters at a Monday press convention.
“I am a parent of three children, and a parent’s nightmare is a situation where your daughter goes out one night and never comes back, as we will show in a court of law,” Hochman stated.
Hochman famous that there are extra particular enhancements which could have Burke going through a possible death penalty. That dedication will be made at one other date, the district legal professional stated.
Burke can be accused by prosecutors of lewd and lascivious sexual acts with a person below 14 years of age and mutilating human stays.
Charges haven’t but been filed, however Burke is predicted to be arraigned on Monday afternoon.
Police found Celeste on Sept. 8 in the trunk of Burke’s abandoned Tesla, which was impounded at Hollywood Tow. Officers have been referred to as to the impound lot over considerations a few foul odor emanating from the automobile.
Detectives realized that Celeste, a runaway from Riverside, was concerned in a sexual relationship with Burke, in accordance to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. Celeste was final identified to be alive on April 23, 2025, when she arrived at Burke’s Hollywood Hills house, earlier than being found in September, the chief stated.
“The substantial amount of time that passed between her death and the discovery meant that crucial evidence had degraded or disappeared, and as detectives worked to uncover the truth, they also had to sift through and debunk a great deal of false information circulating publicly,” McDonnell added.
Celeste’s trigger of death was not made public. Last 12 months, the medical expert’s workplace stated it could not launch particulars in regards to the trigger and method of her death as a result of of a safety maintain sought by police.
Celeste was reported lacking in 2024 from Lake Elsinore, southeast of Los Angeles, in accordance to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement sources informed NBC News that when she was found, her stays weren’t intact. Officials stated it appeared she had been useless for an prolonged interval earlier than she was found given the state of her stays.
Burke was on tour on the time Celeste’s stays have been found and canceled the rest of his performances after information about her death broke.
A court docket submitting in February confirmed that Burke was the target of a grand jury investigation, saying Celeste “may have been the victim of foul play.” Both his dad and mom, Colleen and Dawud Burke, have been ordered to seem Feb. 11 earlier than a Los Angeles County grand jury, in accordance to court docket paperwork.
David Burke’s attorneys, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter, stated they have been ready to “vigorously defend David’s innocence.”
“Let us be clear — 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,” assertion stated.
This is a growing story. Please test again for updates.
