los angeles — The updated death certificate for Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the alleged murder victim of singer D4vd, states that it is unclear whether the teen was pregnant in the year before her death.
Prosecutors revealed this week That Celeste and D4vd – whose real name is David Anthony Burke – exchanged text messages about sex, pregnancy and miscarriage when he was 18 and she was 13.
Authorities claim D4vd killed and dismembered her after she threatened to expose their relationship and ruin his music career.
D4vd is expected to return to court in Los Angeles next month as the case continues.
A new statement has been released from Celeste’s family
An attorney for the teen’s family issued a new statement Thursday addressing the new developments.
Patrick Steinfeld/Steinfeld Law Firm
“Last night I took on the heartbreaking responsibility of informing Rivas Hernandez’s family of the horrific allegations brought to court [Wednesday] David Anthony Burke allegedly stabbed Celeste, “stood by as she bled” to death, used a hacksaw to cut off her limbs, and purchased a “burn cage” with the plan to “burn the evidence.”
As a wrongful death attorney, my sole focus is on love. This was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my 37 years as a lawyer.
Rivas-Hernandez’s family originally encouraged her to speak out throughout the criminal process. They have agreed to the full support of Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. However, in light of the horrific details that emerge almost daily, the family has decided not to make any statements now or in the future.
There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing now. They still have bills to pay and jobs to go to every day. All they want is time to grieve and heal.
Please grant Rivas Hernandez’s family mercy and compassion.”
New details revealed in court files
Disturbing new details were revealed in court filings on Wednesday when D4vd appeared before a judge, painting a shocking picture of the case the prosecution is building against the singer.
D4vd is charged with first degree murder, persistent sexual acts, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with an individual under the age of 14, and mutilation of human bodily remains. he He pleaded not guilty For the charges earlier this month.
The prosecution’s legal summary says D4vd was the last person to drive a Tesla, as… Celeste’s dismembered body is discovered in September 2025. He was reportedly last seen driving the car on July 29, 2025, before he left Los Angeles for his tour.
The court document also alleges that D4vd ordered two chainsaws, a body bag and an inflatable pool on Amazon using a fake name. Investigators say fragments of that pool were found in cut wounds on Celeste’s body.
Prosecutors also wrote that D4vd traveled to a location in Santa Barbara County multiple times after Celeste’s death, including the night she was killed, and a Caltrans worker later found the teen’s discarded passport card in that area in January 2026.
D4vd’s lawyer wanted the legal summary released Wednesday to be sealed, but the judge denied the request.
A preliminary hearing has been set for next month, where it will be determined whether the 21-year-old should stand trial.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell spoke to our sister station ABC7 in Los Angeles about the horrific nature of the case.
“Unfortunately, some people treated this as if it were entertainment. It’s not entertainment. It’s a tragic life taken in a very brutal way. A lot of concerned people have expressed, with a lot of concern and concern as well, about this case. But we take it very seriously, and our goal is to be able to preserve the evidence until it goes to trial,” McDonnell said.
This evidence is expected to be presented at the preliminary hearing. Witnesses will also be called. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 26.
See also: Prosecutors say D4vd’s phone contained a “significant amount” of child sexual abuse material
A “large amount” of child pornography was discovered on a phone belonging to singer D4vd, prosecutors said during a hearing on Thursday.
Last week, prosecutors said they found what they described as a large amount of child sexual abuse material on D4vd’s phone. More than 40 terabytes of evidence was found on computers, tablets and iCloud, they said, adding that the sheer volume could slow down the progress of the case.
This comes after The teen’s autopsy report was released last week. Celeste died from “multiple penetrating wounds,” according to the medical examiner’s report. Certain medications were also found in her system.
Former federal prosecutor Nima Rahmani believes D4vd’s defense will argue that Celeste accidentally died of an overdose, and he panicked, dismembered her body and hid it.
“If you look at the three sets of charges, mutilation is the least serious. So, if they can somehow get caught with that and avoid the sex crimes or the murder itself, that would be a huge win for the defense,” Rahmani said.
D4vd and Celeste allegedly met when she was just 11 years old
According to the summary of preliminary hearing evidence, D4vd and Celeste met in January 2022 when the girl was only 11 years old. Prosecutors say they began a sexual relationship in November 2023, when she was 13 and D4vd was 18.
Celeste was reported missing from her family’s Lake Elsinore home in February and April 2024.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reportedly contacted D4vd on February 17, 2024, after they located his phone number in Celeste’s phone records. He told deputies he last spoke with Celeste on Feb. 13 or 14, but claimed he did not know she was a minor and did not know she had been reported missing, the legal brief says. Deputies then informed him that Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies would visit him at his home. He was living in West Hollywood at the time.
When deputies arrived at his home the same day, prosecutors said they told him again that Celeste was 13 and a runaway. D4vd allegedly told them he didn’t know about it and said he only met her in person once in November 2023. He reportedly told deputies he didn’t know where she was, but Celeste returned to her home in Lake Elsinore two days after the conversation.
Prosecutors say D4vd bought a phone for Celeste after her parents took her away
According to the court document, D4vd continued to pursue Celeste despite deputies telling her she was 13 years old. When Celeste returned home, her parents took her phone away.
However, prosecutors allege that D4vd paid a middle school student in Celeste’s class $1,000 to give her a cellphone he had purchased so they could continue talking.
From there, the legal brief claims the couple spent a lot of time together in 2024, including weekends at his home in the Hollywood Hills and traveling to Las Vegas, London and even Texas to meet D4vd’s family.
Their texts reportedly included references to sex, pregnancy and abortion. Prosecutors also reportedly discovered explicit photos that “document and corroborate their sexual relationship.”
D4vd and Celeste reportedly broke up in November 2024 but continued to communicate, and prosecutors say their text messages indicate they also continued to have a sexual relationship.
Prosecutors say a March 2025 text message from Celeste to D4vd said: “All we do is have sex and have a good time with the man I want more for myself.”
See also: Who is D4vd? The singer arrested in the death of a 14-year-old started out as a video game player
The D4vd singer’s rising career has now been overshadowed by his arrest in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
D4vd allegedly invited Celeste to his home after they got into an argument, and that’s when the teen was killed
According to the court document, there was a long argument between D4vd and Celeste on the night of April 22, which was detailed in text messages. The teen was allegedly jealous of his other relationships and became upset, threatening to reveal information about their relationship to “end his career and ruin his life.”
D4vd’s album was scheduled to be released on April 25, and reportedly received several product endorsements that were very lucrative. He was also about to embark on a tour.
Prosecutors allege that D4vd sent Uber to pick up Celeste from her home in Lake Elsinore and bring her to his home in the Hollywood Hills around 8:40 p.m. on April 23. They were reportedly sending text messages before and during the Uber ride.
Celeste reportedly arrived around 10:10 p.m
D4vd reportedly texted her and asked her whereabouts at 10:30 p.m., but prosecutors believe she was already dead by this time, and the text messages were part of a “premeditated plan” to cover up her murder.
The legal brief alleges that D4vd stabbed Celeste multiple times and watched her bleed to death. He also says he did not call 911 or take her to the hospital.
D4vd is accused of visiting an area in Santa Barbara County multiple times after Celeste’s death
D4vd reportedly left his home around 11:30pm while continuing to text and call Celeste’s phone. Prosecutors say he “planned and planned to prepare his defense within a very short period of time after the brutal murder of the victim.”
He allegedly drove north on Highway 101 to an area near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County before returning home on the morning of April 24 and going to a radio interview to promote his new album.
The document alleges that D4vd sent two additional text messages to the teen’s phone that day, but did not attempt to contact her again after April 26.
He allegedly returned to the same area in Santa Barbara County on May 8 and again on May 31.
Celeste’s passport card was later found by a Caltrans worker off SR-154 in Santa Barbara County on January 17.
Related to: Fortnite is offering refunds to players who purchased D4vd-related in-game items
Popular video game Fortnite is offering refunds for in-game items linked to singer D4vd, who was charged with murder after a teenage girl was found dead in his Tesla.
D4vd allegedly purchased chainsaws, a body bag and an inflatable pool on Amazon after the teen’s death
The court document says D4vd ordered a shovel from Home Depot on April 24 and had it delivered to his home via Postwards. He then allegedly ordered two chainsaws from Amazon on May 1, a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags and a blue inflatable pool on May 5. All purchases were reportedly made under a fake name but were delivered to his home in the Hollywood Hills.
On July 7, he allegedly ordered a “cage burn” at Amazon under the same fake name in a plan to “burn evidence.”
Prosecutors believe Celeste was placed in an inflatable pool while she was dismembered “to prevent her blood from leaking onto the floor of his garage.” Small blue plastic fragments were found embedded in its remains, and an expert allegedly matched them to a swimming pool.
His left pinky and ring finger were reportedly amputated but never recovered. Prosecutors allege this was because her ring finger had the name D4vd tattooed and he was trying to “distance himself from the victim.”
Celeste’s remains were reportedly placed in a body bag and garbage bag and placed in the front trunk of the Tesla, where she decomposed for several weeks or possibly months.
Before leaving for the tour, D4vd was accused of parking his Tesla on Hollywood Hills Boulevard where it was later towed. Prosecutors allegedly have surveillance video that shows D4vd driving a Tesla for the last time on July 29, 2025.
Celeste’s remains were discovered in Tesla in September 2025.
DNA evidence was allegedly discovered in D4vd’s garage
During a search warrant at the Hollywood Hills home, LAPD reportedly found evidence inside the garage consistent with Celeste’s body being dismembered. The blood test result came back positive and matched the teen’s DNA, according to the legal memorandum.
The inflatable pool was also located, and officers noted it had several linear pieces.
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