Crime

Here’s why you don’t want to be singer D4vd’s lawyers in his murder trial. Wow.

The biggest current crime in the music industry is the murder charges brought against singer D4vd. He’s accused of killing 14-year-old runaway Celeste Rivas Hernandez and leaving her remains in a cadaver bag in the boot of his Tesla.

Some allegations have come to light from prosecutors in LA. This is awful stuff, so if you have to stop here, to it.

  • D4vd (real name: David Burke) was having a sexual relationship with her from November 2003. (They met when she was 11.)
  • He reportedly began abusing her when she was 13 (he was 18 at the time). His phone contained incriminating texts and photos.
  • Knowing that if word got out about his relationship with an underage girl he’d be ruined, he threatened her to remain silent. She, meanwhile, was jealous of D4vd’s relationships with other women.
  • Unable to trust her to keep quiet–she’d vowed to say something and destroy his career–he invited her to his house. D4vd sent an Uber to pick her up on the night of April 23, 2025. She rode from her home in Lake Elsinore, 80 miles to D4vd’s place in the Hollywood Hills. Text messages were exchanged along the way. Then Hernandez’s phone went silent.
  • When Rivas arrived, D4vd stabbed Rivas several times and then “stood by while she bled out.”

Wild, right? There’s more.

  • A shovel was delivered from Home Depot D4vd’s house April 24.
  • On May 1, he allegedly bought two chainsaws from Amazon.
  • Around May 4, he acquired a body bag, some heavy-duty laundry bags, and a blue inflatable pool.
  • Around this time, D4vd allegedly dismembered Hernandez’s body in the pool which had been placed in his garage. This included amputating two fingers on her left hand because she had a tattoo of his name. The fingers have not been found.
  • In July, something called a “burn cage” was purchased under the name Victoria Mendez.
  • Somehow, Rivas then ended up in D4vd’s Tesla, which was then towed away. It was found in an impound lot last September after a terrible smell started coming from it.
  • The pool (complete with cut marks) and blood samples were recovered from the garage. Bits of blue plastic, “consistent with the material used to make the pool,” were found within Rivas’ remains.

D4vd is charged with first-degree murder, a death penalty offense in California. There are additional charges relating to sexual acts with a minor. He’s pleaded not guilty.

More here and here.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 42024 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.