David Burke Status Conference: Updates on Murder Case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez
A status conference is set for Wednesday for David Burke, also known as D4vd, who is facing charges in the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The teenager's dismembered body was discovered in a Tesla linked to the singer at a Hollywood tow yard in September 2025. The hearing on Wednesday will determine the readiness of the case for the preliminary hearing scheduled for June 29.
Burke was taken into custody on April 17 and was formally accused of first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains three days later. The charges also include special circumstance allegations such as murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait. If found guilty, Burke could face the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole. The decision on seeking the death penalty will be made at a later time by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
The last execution in California took place 20 years ago when Clarence Ray Allen was put to death by lethal injection on Jan. 17, 2006. The autopsy report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that Rivas Hernandez's death was a homicide caused by multiple penetrating injuries with unspecified objects. Despite the charges, the singer and his defense team continue to assert his innocence.
The upcoming status conference on Wednesday will determine the case's readiness for the preliminary hearing later this month. If the case proceeds to trial, it will mark a significant step in the legal proceedings surrounding the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.