U.S. singer D4vd pleads not responsible to homicide of 14-year-old

[ad_1] WARNING: This story accommodates particulars of abuse and descriptions of human stays. It might have an effect on those that have skilled sexual violence or know somebody affected by it.

U.S. singer D4vd pleaded not responsible Monday to a homicide cost within the demise of a 14-year-old lady who was final identified to be alive practically a yr in the past and whose dismembered and decomposed physique was present in September in his apparently deserted Tesla.

The fees revealed key particulars and had been among the many first concrete public strikes made in a grisly and horrific case that had been underneath a largely secret investigation within the seven months for the reason that physique of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was discovered.

The Los Angeles County District Legal professional's Workplace mentioned the 21-year-old D4vd, whose authorized identify is David Burke, was charged with first-degree homicide, lewd and lascivious acts with an individual underneath 14 and mutilating a physique. His lawyer entered not responsible pleas on his behalf to all counts.

The women' mother and father had been in courtroom for Burke's first look within the case Monday. His legal professionals mentioned the proof would present he was harmless.

<img loading="lazy" alt="LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell walks past an image of Celeste Rivas Hernandez Monday, April 20, 2026, in Los Angeles" srcset="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1d26aea2-818f-46d1-9cab-21cbd404185d,1776723110154/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4816%2C3211%29%3BResize%3D796 796w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1d26aea2-818f-46d1-9cab-21cbd404185d,1776723110154/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4816%2C3211%29%3BResize%3D1083 1083w,https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1d26aea2-818f-46d1-9cab-21cbd404185d,1776723110154/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4816%2C3211%29%3BResize%3D1280 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) calc(100vw - 32px),730px" src="https://i.cbc.ca/ais/1d26aea2-818f-46d1-9cab-21cbd404185d,1776723110154/full/max/0/default.jpg?im=Crop%2Crect%3D%280%2C0%2C4816%2C3211%29%3B" style="aspect-ratio:1.4998442852693865" data-cy="image-img"/> LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell walks previous a picture of Celeste Rivas Hernandez on April 20. (Damian Dovarganes/ The Related Press) Authorities alleged the Houston-born alt-pop singer killed Rivas Hernandez to guard a profession on the rise after she threatened to report their sexual relationship. His debut album, Withered, was launched simply two days after they mentioned she was final identified to be alive.

She was reported lacking by her household in 2024, when she was 13. That was her age when, in response to allegation in a felony criticism, the singer engaged in steady sexual abuse of her for at the least a yr from September 2023 to September 2024. California regulation penalizes abuse of a kid underneath 14 particularly harshly.

Prosecutors allege Burke mutilated her physique about two weeks later.

The homicide fees included particular circumstances — mendacity in wait, committing crime for monetary acquire and murdering the witness in an investigation — that would carry the demise penalty. Prosecutors have not introduced whether or not they'll search it.

The witness he's alleged to have killed is Rivas Hernandez herself, who might have given testimony in regards to the intercourse crime allegations.

'A guardian's nightmare' Attorneys for Burke mentioned he could be exonerated, in a press release launched after the fees had been introduced.

"The precise proof on this case will present that David Burke didn't homicide Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the reason for her demise," they mentioned. "We'll vigorously defend David's innocence."

Burke was arrested at a house in Hollywood on Thursday.

Los Angeles County District Legal professional Nathan Hochman referred to as the case "a guardian's nightmare."

"Celeste, a 14-year-old at the moment, went to Mr. Burke's home within the Hollywood Hills. She was by no means heard from once more," Hochman mentioned at Monday's information convention.

Physique present in September 2025 The long-dead physique of Rivas Hernandez was discovered inside a Tesla that was towed from the Hollywood Hills on Sept. 8, when Burke was on tour in assist of his album. It was a day after she would have turned 15. Her household had reported her lacking from her hometown of Lake Elsinore, about 112 kilometres southeast of Los Angeles.

The singer had been underneath investigation by an LA County grand jury wanting into the demise. The probe was formally secret, however its existence — and his designation as its goal — was revealed in February when his mom, father and brother objected in a Texas courtroom to subpoenas demanding they testify.

The 2023 Tesla Mannequin Y was registered within the singer's identify at their tackle, in response to courtroom filings. Authorities didn't publicly acknowledge him as a suspect till his arrest.

Police investigators looking the Tesla in a tow yard discovered a cadaver bag "coated with bugs and a robust odor of decay," courtroom paperwork mentioned. Detectives partially unzipped a bag and located a head and torso.

Investigators from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Workplace eliminated the bag and "found the legs and arms had been severed from the physique," in response to courtroom paperwork. A second black bag was discovered underneath the primary, and dismembered physique elements had been inside it.

No reason behind demise has been publicly revealed, and police bought a choose to dam the discharge particulars of the post-mortem. The courtroom order was anticipated to be lifted after the fees.

The household of Rivas Hernandez has remained personal and has not made any public statements on her demise or the case.

"I had the prospect to satisfy with a few of the relations of Celeste and their grief in incalculable as to what occurred to their daughter," Hochman mentioned.

D4vd, pronounced "David," gained recognition amongst Gen Z for his mix of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. He went viral on TikTok in 2022 with the hit Romantic Murder, which peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's sizzling rock & different songs chart. He then signed with Darkroom and Interscope Data and launched his debut EP Petals to Thorns and a follow-up, The Misplaced Petals, in 2023.

The Related Press confirmed that D4vd was dropped by Interscope final yr.

After the physique was found, the singer continued his North American tour, however when experiences of his attainable involvement unfold broadly, he cancelled the ultimate two reveals and the European tour that was to observe.

On April 11, about two weeks earlier than the killing, he made his debut look on the Coachella music competition, the place he talked to The Related Press.

"I used to be such an web child. The web is basically what I declare as my residence," he mentioned. "My neighbourhood was Instagram and the society was the web."