Seven months after investigators discovered the remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas in a vehicle tied to D4vd, prosecutors have formally charged the singer with murder. The artist, whose legal name is David Burke, was taken into custody last week, with charges announced Monday during a joint briefing led by Nathan Hochman and Jim McDonnell. Officials described the filing as the result of months of investigation following the initial discovery. The case now moves into a new legal phase after a prolonged period of uncertainty.
Burke faces a count of first-degree murder with special circumstances, a designation that could carry a sentence of life without parole or the death penalty. Hochman said the office has not yet decided whether to seek capital punishment, noting that determination will come later. “The special circumstances include lying in wait, committing this crime for financial gain, or murdering a witness in an investigation,” he said. Prosecutors also filed additional counts alleging sexual offenses involving a minor and the mutilation of a body.
Authorities say the investigation began in September 2025, when a Tesla abandoned in the Hollywood Hills was towed to an impound facility. Inside the vehicle’s front trunk, officials found a decomposed and dismembered body, later identified as Rivas. Her family has said she had been missing for more than a year and had been in contact with someone named David. The identification brought renewed urgency to a case that had remained unresolved.
Prosecutors Charge D4vd With Murder as Investigation Enters Critical Phase
At the time of the discovery, Burke was touring in support of his album Withered. He continued performing, including a September 9 appearance at The Fillmore in Minneapolis, without addressing the situation publicly. Footage from earlier shows, including a July 30 performance at The Warfield in San Francisco, featured staged elements such as a prop casket and memorial imagery as part of the production.
Detectives later searched a residence linked to Burke’s management, where they recovered electronic devices and other materials. Burke remains in custody without bail as the case proceeds through court. His attorneys and family have denied the allegations, setting the stage for a closely watched trial.
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