The music world is in shock as David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old platinum-selling artist known as D4vd, was taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department. On Thursday, April 16, 2026, the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division confirmed that Burke has been arrested on suspicion of murder in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The arrest follows a months-long investigation that began with a gruesome discovery on September 8, 2025. Workers at a Hollywood impound lot reported a “foul odor” emanating from a 2023 Tesla registered to Burke. Upon inspection, authorities found the “severely decomposed” and dismembered remains of Rivas Hernandez inside the vehicle’s trunk. This D4vd arrested for murder Celeste Rivas case has dominated headlines as forensic teams worked for over a week just to identify the victim due to the state of the remains.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was reported missing from her home in Lake Elsinore, California, on April 5, 2024. According to her brother, Matthew, Celeste told her family she was going to watch a movie with Burke before she vanished. While the nature of their relationship remains under investigation, social media sleuths and family statements suggest the two were involved in a relationship that began when Celeste was just 13. At the time of the body’s discovery, Burke was on his “Withered” world tour, which was subsequently canceled as he was named a person of interest.
Burke is currently being held without bail. His high-profile legal team—including attorneys Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski—issued a statement maintaining his innocence. They emphasized that while Burke has been “detained under suspicion,” there has been no formal indictment or criminal complaint filed as of Friday morning.
“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,” his attorneys stated.
The LAPD is expected to present the case to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office on Monday, April 20, for formal filing consideration. Prosecutors will then decide whether to move forward with first-degree murder charges. As fans reel from the news, brands like Crocs and Hollister have already moved to scrub the singer from their previous ad campaigns, marking a swift fall from grace for one of Gen Z’s most promising breakout stars.
