Rapper D4vd has been charged in the United States over the death of a teenage girl.
The 21-year-old musician is facing charges linked to the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was arrested last week after the missing teenager’s body was discovered in his Tesla, months after she was first reported missing.
Following his arrest, he denied any involvement in her death.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced the charges in court on Monday, April 20, describing the case as a “brutal and horrific murder”.
During a press briefing, Hochman said the prosecution could ultimately pursue the death penalty.
He stated, “A parent’s nightmare is a situation where your daughter goes out one night and never comes back.”
Prosecutors filed three separate charges against Burke. He is accused of first-degree murder, with special circumstances of “lying in wait” as the teenager reportedly arrived at his property.
He also faces an additional murder charge tied to “financial gain,” with Hochman alleging that Burke killed the girl to protect his music career. Hochman said that “Celeste was threatening on that particular night”.
A third charge alleges that Burke murdered a potential witness connected to an investigation.
Authorities claim the teenager may have had information regarding alleged sexual acts involving the musician when she was under the age of 14.
The remains of Hernandez were found on September 8, 2025, inside the trunk of Burke’s impounded Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard, after workers reported a foul smell.
The teenager, who was from Lake Elsinore, California, had last been seen in April 2024.
Addressing questions about the delay in making an arrest, Hochman told the BBC: “It’s the type of case that you went to get maximum information.”
He also urged anyone with relevant information about Burke to come forward.
A court order has restricted the release of further details, meaning specifics about Hernandez’s death will not be published on the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s website.
Following his arrest, Burke’s legal team, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, released a statement maintaining his innocence.
They said, “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.
“There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed. David has only been detained under suspicion. We will vigorously defend David’s innocence.”
