Killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Celeste Abigail Rivas Hernandez (September 7, 2010 – c. April 23, 2025) was a 14-year-old^[b] girl from Lake Elsinore, California.^[9][10] Born to parents who immigrated from El Salvador,^[11] Rivas had two older siblings,^[12] and attended Lakeland Village School.^[13] Her parents contacted the Riverside County Sheriff's Department three times in early 2024 to report her missing: on February 15, March 19 and April 5.^[13] It is unclear when Rivas returned home afterward, but neighbors said they spotted her in the neighborhood with her parents later in the year.^[13]

David Burke (D4vd)

David Anthony Burke, professionally known as D4vd,^[a] is an American singer-songwriter. Best known for his songs "Romantic Homicide" and "Here with Me", his music often explores themes of love, heartbreak, and relationship struggles. Burke released his debut studio album Withered on April 25, 2025, and began to embark on a world tour months later on August 5, with performances planned across North America and Europe.^[14]

Relationship between Rivas and Burke

Rivas and Burke first met in January 2022 when she was 11 years old, according to prosecutors.^[15] They began a sexual relationship in November 2023 when Rivas was 13 years old and Burke was 18 years old.^[15] Over the following year, Rivas spent "significant time" with Burke, including summer weekends at his home and trips to Las Vegas, London, and Texas, where she met his family.^[3][15] Rivas and Burke had matching "Shhh..." tattoos on their right index fingers,^[16] and Rivas had Burke's name ("David") tattooed on her left ring finger.^[17][18]

After Rivas was reported missing on February 15, 2024, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department identified Burke's phone number in Rivas's phone records. When they contacted him on February 17, Burke said he last spoke with her on February 13 or 14, and stated he was unaware she was a minor or that she had been reported missing.^[17][19] Later that day, Riverside County authorities requested a welfare check by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at Burke's home in West Hollywood. Burke told deputies that he had only met Rivas once in person, in November 2023, and showed them a yearbook photo of her on his cellphone.^[17][19] Rivas returned home two days later.^[17] Her parents confiscated her cellphone afterward, but Burke allegedly paid one of her classmates $1,000 to give her a new cellphone that he had purchased so they could stay in contact.^[19]

Rivas and Burke ended their relationship in November 2024, but they continued to communicate and have sexual relations.^[20][15] Rivas sent Burke a text message in March 2025, stating "All we do is have sex and just hang out man I want more than that for myself".^[20] On April 22, 2025, they had a "lengthy argument" through text messages, where Rivas confronted Burke about his relationships with other women, as Burke had led her to believe that they had a future together, and she threatened to make their relationship public to damage his career and image.^[21]

Homicide and aftermath

On April 23, 2025, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Burke arranged for an Uber to transport Rivas from her Lake Elsinore home to his Hollywood Hills residence.^[20] Shortly after she arrived, at around 10:10 p.m., it is believed that Burke stabbed Rivas multiple times and made no attempt to save her life.^[25] They had been exchanging text messages before she arrived, and at around 10:30 p.m., Burke messaged her asking where she was.^[26] Prosecutors allege this message was part of a premeditated cover-up by Burke, as she did not respond because she was already dead.^[20] Her cellphone ceased all activity on this night.^[18] At approximately 11:30 p.m., Burke drove to an isolated site off of California State Route 154, near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County, where prosecutors allege that he disposed of evidence. He visited this same location on two later dates, May 8 and May 31.^[20][27] Rivas's U.S. passport card was found at this site on January 17, 2026, by a Caltrans worker.^[20]

Burke returned home the following morning, on April 24, before going to a radio interview and attending a release party for his Withered album.^[28][29] That same day, he began to order a variety of items under the false name "Victoria Mendez" and had them delivered to his residence.^[30] He purchased a shovel from Home Depot and had it delivered via Postmates on April 24; two chainsaws from Amazon on May 1; a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags and a blue inflatable pool from Amazon on May 5; and a "burn cage"^[c] from Amazon on July 7.^[20] Prosecutors believe Rivas's body was placed in the inflatable pool in Burke's garage before being dismembered with a chainsaw.^[30] Blood samples that were later collected in the garage matched Rivas's genetic profile, and blue plastic fragments that matched the pool were found in Rivas's body.^[32] Her left ring and pinkie fingers were also amputated, the former featuring a tattoo of Burke's name, but they have not been recovered.^[32]

Rivas's head and torso were placed into the body bag, and her limbs into a garbage bag, then loaded into the front trunk of Burke's Tesla Model X, where they remained for weeks or even months until they were discovered.^[32][18] Surveillance footage from July 29 alleges Burke to be the last person to drive the vehicle before it was abandoned, as he soon left to embark on his Withered world tour.^[20][33] The vehicle was parked on Bluebird Avenue, near Burke's Hollywood Hills residence.^[34] After residents complained about the vehicle, its tires were marked by a parking enforcement officer on August 27, and it was ticketed on September 3 for violating the 72-hour parking ordinance. Two days later, it was impounded and transported to a tow yard in Hollywood.^[35]

On September 8, 2025, Rivas's heavily decomposed remains were discovered after a tow yard worker called the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to investigate a foul odor emanating from the vehicle.^[36] An LAPD captain told KABC-TV the body was at least partially dismembered but not decapitated.^[37] The following day, Burke was reportedly cooperating with authorities, and he performed in Minneapolis as part of his tour.^[38] On September 16, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner identified the body as that of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.^[39] Afterward, Rivas's mother told TMZ that her daughter had a boyfriend named "David",^[40] but she had not met him.^[41] Various evidence connecting Rivas and Burke began to surface, including photographs of them together,^[42] and public interactions they had on Burke's official server on the messaging app Discord dating back to 2022.^[43][44]

Autopsy

The examination of Rivas's body was performed by a deputy medical examiner on September 10, 2025, at the DME's Forensic Science Center, two days after its discovery.^[45] The office determined the official cause of death as "multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s)" and classified the manner of death as homicide.^[45][46] Sources close to the investigation told news outlets she may have died in the spring of 2025.^[47][48] The report identified two penetrating wounds to the torso with smooth edges consistent with sharp force injuries: one on the right abdomen, approximately 1.5 inches deep, perforating the liver, and a second on the left lower chest, at least 2 inches deep, penetrating the intercostal spaces and causing disruption to the cortical surfaces of the adjacent ribs.^[49][50] Due to extensive postmortem changes, the autopsy faced significant limitations: Rivas's heavily decomposed body weighed just 71 pounds at the time of examination, having remained in the Tesla's front trunk for over four months through the summer heat.^[50] The medical examiner noted that her head was "partially skeletonized" and her left eye was absent, while advanced decomposition also prevented examiners from determining her eye color.^[50][51] The autopsy report also noted that the left ring and pinkie fingers appeared to have been mutilated.^[51][52] Multiple fragments of blue plastic material were found embedded in the cut surfaces of the dismembered body.^[52] Toxicology performed on liver tissue showed a low level of ethanol, the origin of which — ingestion or postmortem decomposition — could not be determined; initial screening also returned presumptive positives for benzodiazepines and methamphetamine/MDMA, though additional testing returned no confirmed presence of MDMA or methamphetamine, and none of these substances were determined to be a factor in her cause of death.^[49][53] Additionally, superficial abrasions were noted on one of Rivas's hands, though the report did not specify whether they were defensive in nature.^[53]

On November 21, 2025, the LAPD obtained a court order to place a security hold on the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's case file for Rivas, preventing the release of any details, including the cause and manner of death, which the medical examiner legally challenged.^[54][55] The order was granted by Los Angeles Superior Court judge Craig Richman, who sealed the medical examiner's findings, including autopsy results, citing potential risks to the investigation or witnesses.^[56] The Medical Examiner's office, led by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo, publicly criticized the order, stating that security holds are rare and not proven to improve investigative outcomes. Ukpo noted that the LAPD had previously requested a hold on September 15, which was denied due to insufficient justification.^[55] The office reiterated its commitment to transparency but acknowledged it was legally bound to comply with the court order until it is lifted.^[54] In a court declaration, LAPD Detective Joshua Byers of the Robbery-Homicide Division argued that releasing autopsy details could reveal investigative strategies, witness identities, or informant information, potentially endangering lives or compromising the case.^[56] The Medical Examiner's autopsy report was unsealed on April 22, 2026.^[57] Ukpo released a statement upon publication of the report, saying he was "grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss."^[45]

Industry and collaborator reactions

Days after the discovery of Rivas's body, the remainder of Burke's Withered World Tour was canceled.^[86] His record label, Interscope Records, also halted all promotional activities regarding him, including the release of a deluxe edition for his album Withered, which was set for September 19.^[87][88][89] Interscope and secondary label Darkroom officially severed ties with Burke later in the year.^[90][91]

In the days following the discovery, American singer-songwriter Kali Uchis pulled the song "Crashing", a collaboration with Burke, from streaming services and denounced him as being "not [her] friend".^[92] Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey would later pull the song "This Is How It Feels" from streaming services.^[93] Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu announced she would be changing her routine, which included the Laufey song.^[94] Burke's song "What Are You Waiting For" was removed from the soundtrack for Madden NFL 26 without a statement from the publisher, EA Sports.^[95] He was also removed from the Spilt Milk 2025 festival lineup.^[96] Epic Games issued refunds to players who purchased in-game items featuring Burke's music in their game Fortnite, stating the refunds were the first step in a plan of changes to the items.^[97] Musicians Holly Humberstone, Damiano David and the Kid Laroi, as well as Riot Games, have also pulled their collaborations with Burke from digital platforms,^[93][98][99] with music conglomerate Universal Music Group helping to facilitate these removals.^[91] YouTube demonetized Burke's accounts and TikTok suspended him on their platform.^[100][91] On September 18, 2025, the online gaming platform Roblox altered officially licensed in-game content associated with Burke.^[101] The platform initially changed the name of his licensed avatar emote from "d4vd - Backflip" to simply "Backflip" to remove direct branding references.^[101][102] Within days, Roblox permanently deleted the emote from the platform entirely as public controversy surrounding the murder investigation intensified.^[102]

Public and media reactions

A vigil for Rivas was held in Lake Elsinore,^[103][9] and her body was released to her family for memorial services.^[104] On October 6, 2025, Rivas was buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Rowland Heights, California, following a private funeral service.^[105]

The case has garnered significant media attention due to Burke's public persona and the circumstances of Rivas's death. Burke's music, which often explores dark themes such as violence and death, has been scrutinized in light of the investigation. For example, his music video for the 2022 single "Romantic Homicide" features imagery of a bloodied woman and a blindfolded figure, while the video for "One More Dance" depicts a person being stuffed into a car trunk.^[54] The LAPD's unusual decision to seek a court-ordered secrecy hold on the medical examiner's report further fueled discussion about transparency and the handling of high-profile cases.^[55]

Family statements

Rivas's family has expressed profound grief and devastation over her death, describing her as a beloved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend.^[106] In a public statement released shortly after Rivas's body was identified, the family said: "We are heartbroken by the loss of our beloved Celeste. She was a sweet, loving girl who deserved so much more."^[107] Her brother Matthew Rivas stated she had been on her way to see a movie with Burke the night she disappeared, and that the family had no knowledge of the extent of her relationship with the singer.^[13] Her mother, Citlali Hernandez, told reporters outside the courthouse following Burke's arraignment that she wanted "justice for my daughter" and that she would not rest until everyone responsible was held accountable.^[108] Her funeral was held on October 7, 2025, approximately one month after her body was found, with the community of Lake Elsinore turning out in large numbers to pay their respects.^[109] The community in Lake Elsinore has shown significant support, with vigils held in her honor.^[110] Following Burke's arrest in April 2026, the family issued a statement through their attorney calling the arrest "a first step toward justice" and urging prosecutors to pursue the maximum possible charges.^[108] The family has been vocal about their desire for a thorough investigation and accountability for all responsible.^[111]

LAPD statements

The LAPD's initial public statements in September 2025 were cautious and avoided classifying Rivas's death as a homicide, with LAPD Robbery-Homicide captain Scot Williams stating that no suspect had been identified, citing the undetermined cause of death and uncertainty about criminal culpability beyond concealment of her body.^[63] On November 24, 2025, the LAPD publicly classified the case as an "investigation into murder" for the first time, a significant shift from earlier statements.^[54] LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton stated that "accountability is coming" and assured that detectives were actively pursuing justice for Rivas, emphasizing that "no one is off the table, including Burke."^[54] The department also clarified that Rivas's body was neither frozen nor decapitated, directly addressing widespread misinformation circulating online at the time.^[65] The LAPD confirmed that the Tesla had been parked on Bluebird Avenue since late July 2025, around the time Burke began his national tour, and that evidence suggested Rivas may have died in the spring of 2025, months before the discovery of her remains.^[54][69] Following Burke's arrest on April 16, 2026, the LAPD issued a statement confirming the arrest and thanking the public for their patience during what it described as "one of the most complex investigations in recent memory."^[74]

Burke's legal counsel and management

Burke has retained criminal defense attorney Blair Berk to represent him as the investigation continues.^[112] Robert Morgenroth, general manager of Mogul Vision, testified before the grand jury and was questioned about the singer's movements and the handling of the case.^[109]