US singer D4vd to stand trial over murder of 14-year-old

A judge has ruled that US musician D4vd will stand trial for murder over the death of a teenage girl.

David Anthony Burke (D4vd) has been accused of the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, after her remains were found in a Tesla that was registered to his address.

Following a five-day preliminary hearing, the decision to proceed with a trial was made by Judge Charlaine Olmedo.

The 21-year-old is charged with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He has pleaded not guilty.

Burke is scheduled to be charged on August 31, with the trial to start within 90 days of that date.

Prosecutors have alleged Hernandez was murdered following threats to reveal his relationship with a minor.

Threats made by Hernandez to Burke on April 22, 2025 were read as evidence in court on Monday, stemming from arguments about his friendship with another girl.

"I swear to GOD I will kill u," one text read, followed by a threat to strangle him and tell her dad lies about him. "i will end ur career and ur life I will damage anything," the text went on.

The next day, Burke sent an Uber to pick up Hernandez and bring her to his Hollywood home. Prosecutors alleged that Burke stabbed her once she arrived.

Text messages indicated the defendant had attended church with the girl and her family. A detective shared to the court that he was aware the teen had misrepresented her age to the defendant, telling him she was 16 and 18 at different times. Burke's lawyers said the family were aware of what was going on between them, that they had given written consent for her to travel to London with him for a week.

In the days after Hernandez's death, a homicide detective testified that Burke had ordered a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool and a shovel online.

The singer rose to fame in 2022 when his song 'Romantic Homicide' became a viral sensation on TikTok.

The Sun reported that a song titled 'Celeste' had been posted onto SoundCloud and credited to d4vd. Lyrics in 'Celeste' (Including, "nobody ever caught me but I spoke too soon in the back of a police car / I ain’t telling nothing, do the same if they ask you about her") as well as his other work have now been brought into question due to their questionable themes.

The singer was arrested in April and cancelled his upcoming US and Europe tour dates, including a Dublin show, amid the investigation.

If convicted, he could face life imprisonment or the death penalty.