The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has officially ruled the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez a homicide, citing “multiple penetrating injuries” and “bilateral dismemberment.”
The findings, unsealed Wednesday, provide a harrowing look into a case that has gripped the music industry. The report arrives just two days after singer D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, was charged with the teen’s murder.
According to the autopsy report, Rivas Hernandez suffered two penetrating wounds to her torso and the “bilateral dismemberment of upper and lower extremities.”
Investigators discovered the victim’s remains in September 2025, hidden in two bags inside the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke. The discovery occurred at a tow yard after employees reported a foul odor emanating from the vehicle.
While a toxicology report indicated “presumptive positive” results for MDMA, benzodiazepines, and methamphetamines, the Medical Examiner’s Office noted that low levels of ethanol found in her system did not appear to contribute to her death.
Prosecutors allege a calculated and brutal timeline. District Attorney Nathan Hochman asserts that Burke killed Rivas on April 23, 2025—exactly one year ago today—to prevent her from exposing an illegal sexual relationship.
The criminal complaint alleges that Burke began sexually abusing the girl on her 13th birthday. Prosecutors further claim Burke dismembered the body on or about May 5, 2025, leaving her remains in the vehicle for four months while he continued his professional music career and toured North America.
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Burke, 21, was arrested on April 16 and pleaded not guilty during his April 20 arraignment. He currently faces charges of:
- Murder (with special circumstances including lying in wait and murdering a witness)
- Continuous sexual abuse of a child
- Unlawful mutilation of human remains
The District Attorney’s office has not yet decided whether to pursue the death penalty. If convicted, Burke faces life in prison without the possibility of parole at minimum.
In a joint statement, Burke’s legal team—Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter—asserted that their client “was not the cause” of the death and signaled a “vigorous” defense.
Burke remains held without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for today, April 23, 2026.
