LOS ANGELES – Disturbing new details have emerged in the murder case against indie pop artist D4vd, as Los Angeles County prosecutors filed court documents Wednesday describing the gruesome methods they claim the musician used to kill and dismember his teenage girlfriend.
The court filing reveals that David Burke, the 21-year-old singer known professionally as D4vd (pronounced “David”), allegedly used an inflatable blue pool to contain blood while dismembering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez with chainsaws and other implements after fatally stabbing her in April.
Prosecutors say Burke ordered the pool, two chainsaws, a shovel, body bag and additional supplies online using a false identity, having them shipped to his Hollywood Hills residence following the murder.
The victim’s severely decomposed remains were found in September inside a body bag in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla, authorities report. Police discovered the torso and head in the bag, with the limbs stored separately in a plastic garbage bag beneath. Two fingers from the girl’s left hand, including one bearing a tattoo of Burke’s name, had been severed and were never located.
The vehicle had been abandoned near Burke’s home on July 29, 2025, before he left for a concert tour. Workers at an impound lot later detected the smell of decomposition and contacted police after the car was towed there weeks later.
The prosecution’s filing, which CBS News published online, marks the first time authorities have outlined a possible motive for the killing. They allege Burke murdered the teenager to prevent her from damaging his rising music career with threats to expose details about their relationship.
Burke was preparing to release his debut studio album and had secured lucrative endorsement deals when the crime occurred, according to the district attorney’s office.
Court documents indicate the pair engaged in a sexual relationship beginning when the victim was just 11 years old. Investigators recovered text message exchanges discussing sex, pregnancy, abortion and emergency contraception, along with explicit photographs.
The fatal attack occurred on April 23, 2025, one day after the two argued about her threats to expose him, prosecutors state. Burke allegedly summoned her to his home via Uber before stabbing her to death upon her arrival.
Evidence of the dismemberment was later found during a September search of Burke’s garage, including blood samples and pieces of the inflatable pool showing “multiple linear cuts,” according to the court brief.
The musician rose to prominence in 2022 when songs he recorded on his phone for gaming videos became viral hits on TikTok. His track “Romantic Homicide” led to a recording contract with Interscope Records, and he performed at the 2025 Coachella festival.
Burke entered a not guilty plea to first-degree murder and additional charges during his April 20 arraignment. “We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, nor was he the cause of her death,” stated his defense attorney Blair Berk.
