Courtesy of Steinfeld Law Firm The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez is in “unfathomable pain” and is pushing back on rumors after prosecutors laid out a chilling account this week of how the 14-year-old California girl was allegedly murdered and dismembered by platinum-selling singer D4vd. In a statement Friday, Celeste’s father, Jesus Rivas, flatly rejected online speculation that the musician paid the family to gain their trust or silence. In his own statement, Steinfeld said Celeste’s parents, brother, and sister were left devastated by the flood of grisly details revealed by prosecutors in a court filing Wednesday.
In the disturbing evidence brief, prosecutors alleged D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, stabbed Celeste to death at his Hollywood Hills rental home on April 23, 2025, to cover up the sexual relationship he pursued with her when she was 13 and he was an adult. blogherads.adq.push(function () { blogherads .defineSlot( 'medrec', 'gpt-dsk-tab-article-inbody-uid0' ) .setTargeting( 'pos', ["mid-article","mid","in-article1","mid-article1","inbody","inbody1"] ) .setTargeting( 'viewable', 'yes' ) .setSubAdUnitPath("music\/article\/inbody1") .addSize([[300,250],[620,350],[2,2],[3,3],[2,4],[4,2],[640,250],[6,6],[620,366]]) .setClsOptimization("minsize") ; }); “I had the heartbreaking responsibility of informing the Rivas Hernandez family of the horrifying allegations submitted in court,” Steinfeld said. All they want is time to grieve and heal.” Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century Burke, now 21, was charged last week with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors added special circumstance allegations of murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait, which make him eligible for the death penalty. (Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to pursue the death penalty.) He has pleaded not guilty. blogherads.adq.push(function () { blogherads .defineSlot( 'medrec', 'gpt-dsk-tab-article-inbody2-uid1' ) .setTargeting( 'pos', ["mid-article2","mid","in-article2","mid-article","inbody","inbody2"] ) .setTargeting( 'viewable', 'yes' ) .setSubAdUnitPath("music\/article\/inbody2") .addSize([[300,250],[300,251],[620,350],[2,4],[4,2],[3,3],[2,2],[6,6],[620,366]]) .setLazyLoadMultiplier(2) .setClsOptimization("minsize") ; }); A Los Angeles judge allowed the public release of the evidence brief on Wednesday after Burke’s defense lawyer, Blair Berk, argued it was so “entirely one-sided” that it would taint any jury pool for a potential future trial.
Berk asked that it be sealed, but the judge rejected the request. In the nine-page filing, prosecutors claim surveillance video shows Burke driving his Tesla on July 29, 2025, before parking it near his rental home and leaving for a concert tour. The car was later towed and impounded, with investigators finding Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered, badly decomposed remains in the front truck on Sept. 8, 2025.
He lied to friends, business associates, and others who noticed the strong smell of decay in and around his home and vehicle,” the brief claims. The filing alleges Burke met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11. When her family later reported her missing, authorities found Burke’s number in her phone records and informed him of her age, it says.
Burke “continued to pursue” Rivas Hernandez after that, prosecutors say, allegedly paying a classmate $1,000 to deliver a secret phone so they could stay in touch. Related Content Sean Combs Sues Lil Rod for Defamation, Selling Footage to Netflix Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner Win Another Round in Ray J Defamation War Nick Reiner Indicted for Alleged Murders of Parents, Prosecutors Cite 'Lying in Wait' Marilyn Manson’s Ex-Assistant Gets Trial Date for Sexual Assault and Battery Claims Recovered text messages between Burke and Rivas Hernandez allegedly reference sex, pregnancy, and abortion. Prosecutors say the pair argued the night before Burke allegedly paid an Uber driver to ferry Rivas Hernandez from her home more than an
Extract — continue reading at the source.
