Indie Singer D4vd Faces Murder Hearing in Los Angeles

On Tuesday, July 23, 2026, a Los Angeles courtroom filled with a mix of reporters, legal observers and a few curious onlookers as Judge Charlaine Olmedo presided over a preliminary hearing for David Anthony Burke – the 21‑year‑old behind the viral music moniker D4vd. The hearing isn’t a trial yet, but it will decide whether there’s enough probable‑cause to move the case forward.

Burke stands accused of a string of horrific crimes: the murder of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors say the abuse began when Celeste was 13, after Burke allegedly met her online and groomed her for months.

According to the county’s filing, on April 23, 2025 Burke arranged for a car – a Tesla later towed from the Hollywood Hills – to pick Celeste up from Lake Elsinore, about 80 miles away. She was brought to a rented house in the Hollywood Hills, where, prosecutors allege, she was stabbed multiple times, her body dismembered in a garage with chain‑saws, and the remains later placed in the car.

The body was reportedly recovered a few months later, and an autopsy released in December 2025 indicated multiple stab wounds. Investigators also point to chain‑saw purchase records, DNA traces in the garage, and a series of incriminating text messages and photos exchanged between Burke and the victim.

Burke entered a not‑guilty plea on April 20, 2026, and has been held without bail ever since. He is represented by public defender Blair Berk, who simply stated that his client “is not responsible for the allegations.” The defense has yet to release any substantive counter‑evidence.

The hearing itself was stark – no cameras, a courtroom emptied of the usual fanfare that follows a pop star’s legal woes. The judge will consider whether the evidence presented by prosecutors meets the legal threshold to proceed to trial, a decision that could set the stage for a very public courtroom drama.

Beyond the legal jargon, the case has sparked a broader conversation about the responsibilities of public figures, especially those with massive teen followings on platforms like TikTok and Spotify. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, rose to fame with lo‑fi hits that racked up hundreds of millions of streams, but now faces a future that could see his name forever linked to a tragic teen murder.