Singer, D4vd, could face the death penalty. He's been "officially charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas ... in addition to first-degree murder with special circumstances," per TMZ.
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D4vd is also being charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14. He has also been charged with mutilating a body.
According to the D.A., Celeste was last seen at D4vd's house. Her body was found in two bags in a Tesla registered to the singer.
"Nathan J. Hochman, the Los Angeles County district attorney, said D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, will be charged with first-degree murder with the special circumstances of lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain and murdering a witness to an investigation," The New York Times reports. "Because of the special circumstances, the charge carries a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty."
Currently, Mr. Hochman and his office haven't decided on whether to pursue the death penalty in the case.
D4vd's Lawyers Previously Said Evidence Would Exonerate Him
D4vd's lawyers issued a statement shortly after his arrest, claiming the evidence would prove his innocence
"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 lawyers, Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter said at the time of his arrest. "We will vigorously defend David's innocence."
No details on the evidence the lawyers were referring to have been provided.
A Judge Previously Sealed Records Regarding the Investigation Surrounding Celeste Rivas Hernandez
In November 2025, a court order was imposed on the case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. This placed a security hold on the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office, per the BBC. Therefore, no details regarding the situation could legally be made public.
"We are dedicated to serving our community with full transparency; however, the law precludes us from doing so while the court order remains in this case," Dr. Odey Ukpo, the Chief Medical Examiner, said in a statement at the time, per the BBC.
A source close to the medical examiner told TMZ that Celeste's cause of death was deemed homicide.
No further details are available at this time.
