The singer born David Anthony Burke is facing a first-degree murder charge with possibility for the death penalty if convicted.

Official cause of death revealed for Celeste Rivas Hernandez, teen at center of D4vd murder case

The singer born David Anthony Burke is facing a first-degree murder charge with possibility for the death penalty if convicted.

By Sharareh Drury

on April 22, 2026 3:01 p.m. ET

D4vd; Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Credit:

Getty; GoFundMe

- Authorities have disclosed an official cause of death for Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the teen girl whose remains were discovered in singer D4vd's impounded car last September.

- Celeste was determined to have died from "multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s)."

- D4vd is facing a first-degree murder charge in connection with the girl's death. He has pleaded not guilty.

Authorities have disclosed an official cause of death for Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the teen girl whose remains were found decomposing in the singer D4vd's impounded car last year.

Celeste's death was attributed to "multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s)," according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. The manner of death was ruled as homicide.

"After several months, I am grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss," Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo said in a statement Wednesday. "It is unfathomable they have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter. The transparency of the information contained in our findings and reports is essential for empowering the community to make informed changes to affectively reduce fear and allowing the community to take informed action."

The medical examiner's report had been under a security hold since last year.

Ukpo added, "Making the Department's information publicly available is not just about accountability, it is about social justice and prevention. By ensuring access to this information, we strengthen our ability to learn, to act, and ultimately to prevent the next tragic loss of life. I want to extend my gratitude to our partner agencies for taking the necessary step of filing an order with the court to make this disclosure possible."

D4vd's booking photo.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty

Last September, a day after what would have been Celeste's 15th birthday, her dismembered body was discovered by Los Angeles police in an impounded Tesla registered to D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke. Officers had responded to reports of a "foul odor" coming from a vehicle in a Hollywood tow yard.

Burke, 21, is facing a first-degree murder charge with potential eligibility for the death penalty if convicted, as well as one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The musician was arrested April 16 on suspicion of murder, eight months after Celeste's body was found. She had been reported missing by her family in April 2024, when she was 13.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman alleged during a press conference Monday that Celeste went to Burke's home in the Hollywood Hills on April 23, 2025, and that was the last time she was seen alive. Hochman said there is physical, forensic, and digital evidence that will be presented in court "to prove these charges beyond a reasonable doubt."

Burke is accused of murder with multiple special circumstances that make the case eligible for either the death penalty or life without parole. Those circumstances include lying in wait, murder for financial gain, as well as murdering a witness to a crime. Celeste is considered a witness to the charge of sexual abuse of a child.

D4vd performing at Coachella in 2025.

Emma McIntyre/Getty

Burke has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys said Monday in a statement provided to **, "The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death. We will vigorously defend David's innocence."

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D4vd is known for viral singles like "Here With Me" and "Romantic Homicide," which have each surpassed 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. He kicked off a world tour supporting his debut album, *Withered*, last August.

The tour was scheduled to cover North America and Europe, running through November 2025, but was cut short due to the homicide investigation.**

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