Legal proceedings against musician David Anthony Burke, professionally known as D4vd, have brought to light private communications between him and the victim, 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Prosecutors presented text messages during a preliminary hearing suggesting that the teenager underwent a pregnancy and subsequent abortion prior to her death.
During the session in Los Angeles, evidence was shared detailing a June 2024 exchange where Celeste questioned the effectiveness of a medical procedure. At that time, she was 13 and Burke was 19. Prosecutors allege that Burke, who has entered a plea of not guilty, murdered the girl after she threatened to expose his history of abuse and ruin his music career. He currently faces multiple charges, including sexual abuse of a minor and murder.
Court testimony highlighted an earlier conversation from January 2024 in which Burke apologized for the situation. Celeste responded by noting their shared inability to provide for a child. When Burke questioned paternity, Celeste confirmed he was the father. Other evidence recovered from the defendant’s iCloud account indicates the pair had been in contact since 2022, when Celeste was 11 and Burke was 17.
Authorities discovered the girl’s remains in the trunk of Burke’s vehicle in September 2025, following a missing persons report filed by her family. Following the discovery, Burke’s career stalled, and he was formally arrested in April 2026. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is pursuing several serious charges, including the mutilation of human remains and continuous sexual abuse.
