D4vd Accused of Hiding 'Significant' Child Horrors on His Phone as Feds Raise New Questions

Prosecutors told a Los Angeles court Thursday that investigators found a "significant amount" of child sexual abuse material on the phone of singer David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, during their probe into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

Per HotNewHipHop, the district attorney described the alleged pattern of abuse and murder.
"Celeste was just a child, under 14 years old, when David Burke allegedly engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations with her," District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said.

The district attorney summarized additional allegations about the handling of the victim's body.

"But Burke's actions did not allegedly stop there. When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her, cut up her body and stuffed her body in two bags that were placed in the front trunk of his car," Hochman said.

The prosecutor described the condition of the remains when they were discovered. "There the dismembered body sat for over four months decomposing until it was found at a tow yard on Sept. 8, 2025," Hochman also alleged. "This horrific and gruesome murder committed by the charged sexual predator is shocking and appalling. To Celeste's loved ones, we will get the justice you seek and deserve."

Court filings and hearing testimony show prosecutors also disclosed that a wiretap was part of the multiagency investigation, though they did not provide details about the scope of the surveillance at the status hearing.

D4vd was arrested and later pleaded not guilty this month to charges including murder, mutilation of human remains and continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14. If convicted, he faces the death penalty, prosecutors said. The remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found in the trunk of an abandoned Tesla registered to Burke in September 2025 after the teen had been reported missing from her home in Lake Elsinore earlier that year.

Defense attorneys did not dispute the arraignment's reporting but entered plea statements on behalf of their client. "No comment" was provided through defense counsel at the hearing, the court record shows.

A report from TMZ said the status hearing followed widely reported court proceedings earlier in April, during which defense lawyers questioned pieces of evidence and sought further discovery. Prosecutors told the court they had examined Burke's phone and found what they called a "significant amount" of child sexual abuse material; at the hearing, they did not say whether any of the material depicted Rivas.

Investigators continue to build the case as both sides prepare for pretrial proceedings. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office and law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.