D4vd Pleads Not Guilty After Missing 14-Year-Old Found Dismembered In His Tesla

American singer-songwriter d4vd, aged 21, has pleaded not guilty to serious criminal charges over the death of a teenage girl, according to BBC. Prosecutors say d4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, killed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez after she visited his home in the Hollywood Hills last year. Her dismembered body was later found in the front boot of a Tesla linked to his address. Los Angeles prosecutors have charged Burke with first-degree murder and other offences, while his lawyers insist he is innocent as the case goes to court.

As per the news report,Prosecutors claim Burke killed the teenager for "financial gain" to protect his lucrative music career. They also allege she was a witness to an investigation involving sexual acts with a minor. Hochman noted that his office might eventually seek the death penalty.

Burke's defense team completely denies the allegations. During his Monday arraignment, his attorneys insisted the actual evidence will prove he did not kill Celeste.

Meanwhile, the victim's devastated parents are demanding justice. They remembered their daughter as a strong, beautiful girl who loved singing and dancing.

The Los Angeles police defended the long gap between finding the body in September and making an arrest last week. Chief Jim McDonnell stated investigators needed time to build a rock-solid case without fueling rumors, especially given the degraded condition of the evidence.

Before his arrest, Burke built a massive following on TikTok and Spotify with moody hits like "Romantic Homicide." He abruptly canceled his world tour and stepped away from the spotlight right around the time authorities found the remains.

Who is d4vd?

According to BBC, d4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is a 21-year-old singer from Houston, Texas. He rose to fame with indie-pop hits such as Here With Me and Romantic Homicide. His debut album was released in April 2025, and he built a large online following, with around 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and nearly four million followers on TikTok. After the body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in a car registered in his name, d4vd cancelled his world tour and stepped away from public life.