After months of investigation, Los Angeles police arrested D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, in April 2026.
Prosecutors charged Burke with first-degree murder, along with other charges, including sexual abuse of a child and mutilation of a body. The medical examiner has now officially ruled Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death a homicide.
According to investigators, prosecutors allege Burke and Hernandez had been in contact for years before her death. Authorities also claim there was an inappropriate relationship between the two.
Prosecutors say Hernandez was last seen near Burke’s rental property before disappearing. Police also allege Burke hid Hernandez’s body inside the Tesla before abandoning the vehicle in the Hollywood tow yard.
Burke has denied all of the allegations and pleaded not guilty. His lawyers say he did not kill Hernandez and that the accusations against him are false. The case is still ongoing, and more court hearings are expected later this year.
The case continues to get a lot of attention online, especially from students, because D4vd was already a very popular artist on TikTok and social media before the investigation.
Many teens have followed the case through TikTok videos, livestream clips, and online discussions, trying to figure out what actually happened. Since a lot of the rumors first spread online before police released official information, many students became interested in separating facts from internet theories.
The case has also started conversations online about celebrity culture, social media fame, and how quickly rumors can spread across the internet. Some students say the case feels especially shocking because D4vd was an artist many teens listened to before the investigation became public.
