Prosecutors allege singer D4vd killed 14-year-old fan who threatened to expose their relationship
Los Angeles prosecutors allege that singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, murdered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in April 2025 after she threatened to reveal their sexual relationship, which began when she was 13 and he was 18. According to court filings, Burke stabbed her to death shortly after she threatened to end his music career, then dismembered her body using chainsaws purchased online. Her remains were found months later in a Tesla registered to him. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, sexual abuse of a minor, and mutilation of human remains. A preliminary hearing will determine whether the case proceeds to trial. Multiple sources confirm text messages, DNA evidence, and forensic findings support the prosecution’s timeline, though defense attorneys have challenged the release of evidence, arguing it could prejudice a jury.
Most sources agree on core facts but differ in depth, tone, and emphasis. Earlier-published sources (The Globe and Mail–07) focus on prosecution allegations with sensational details, while later pieces (CNN, NBC News) offer richer narrative context. CTV News stands apart by framing the story as a legal explainer. Only a few include victim background or digital evidence specifics. No source presents the defense’s full argument, and all rely heavily on prosecution filings, suggesting a pattern of passive reporting on official narratives.
- ✓ Singer D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke (age 21), is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
- ✓ Celeste was last seen alive going to D4vd’s home in April 2025; she was killed shortly before the release of his debut album on April 25, 2025.
- ✓ Prosecutors allege he began a sexual relationship with her when she was 13 and he was 18, having met when she was 11.
- ✓ The alleged motive was that Celeste threatened to expose their relationship, which would have ruined his music career.
- ✓ Celeste died from multiple penetrating (sharp force) injuries; autopsy confirmed cause of death.
- ✓ Her dismembered and decomposing body was found in September of the previous year in a Tesla SUV registered to Burke, towed from the Hollywood Hills.
- ✓ Prosecutors obtained text messages from April 22, 2025, showing jealousy and threats to expose the relationship.
- ✓ Burke purchased two chainsaws online, allegedly used to dismember the body in an inflatable pool in his garage.
- ✓ DNA evidence linked Celeste to the garage; body parts were missing, including fingers and limbs.
- ✓ Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, sexual abuse of a minor, and mutilation of human remains.
- ✓ Defense attorneys requested the evidentiary filing be sealed, citing potential jury bias; the judge denied the motion.
- ✓ A preliminary hearing will determine whether there is probable cause for trial.
Specificity of abuse imagery
Explicitly state that child sexual abuse images of Celeste were found on Burke’s phone and iCloud.
Do not mention digital evidence of abuse imagery, focusing only on text messages and relationship claims.
Timeline precision
Provides exact dates: met January 2022 (age 11), relationship began November 2023 (age 13), first missing report February 2024.
State general ages or years without precise months.
Additional investigative details
Mentions Burke allegedly drove to Lake Cachuma (177km away) to dispose of evidence; Celeste’s passport was found there in January.
Do not mention Lake Cachuma or passport discovery.
Defense statements and legal strategy
Names the judge (Charlaine F. Olmedo), which others omit.
Highlights defense’s unusual move to demand a preliminary hearing within 10 court days, emphasizing transparency strategy.
Mention defense motion to seal but not the accelerated hearing request.
Family and victim background
Do not include family statements.
Include quotes from parents describing Celeste as 'beautiful, strong girl' who loved singing and dancing.
Legal consequences
Explicitly states Burke is eligible for the death penalty.
Do not mention potential sentencing outcomes.
Content warnings
Include explicit warnings about graphic and disturbing content, abuse, and trauma triggers.
Either lack warnings or embed them subtly.
CNN
Framing: CNN frames the event as a prosecutorial narrative with a focus on chronological detail and forensic evidence. It positions the story as a factual recounting of official allegations, emphasizing the brutality and premeditation.
Tone: Formal, journalistic, and grave. It adopts a neutral tone but leans toward the prosecution’s account through selective detail and lack of defense perspective.
Framing By Emphasis: Headline uses 'detailed timeline' to emphasize narrative structure and prosecutorial authority.
"Prosecutors lay out detailed timeline in alleged killing of teen"
Appeal To Emotion: Opening warning signals emotional gravity and prepares reader for disturbing content, potentially increasing perceived credibility.
"Warning: This story includes graphic and disturbing details."
Proper Attribution: Cites specific forensic detail (wounds 'may represent sharp force injuries') with proper attribution to medical examiner.
"According to an autopsy report released earlier this month..."
Omission: Notes defense objection to evidentiary filing but does not quote defense beyond initial not-guilty plea, potentially minimizing counter-narrative.
"Berk on Wednesday asked the court to seal the evidentiary filing... The judge denied the request."
Vague Attribution: Truncates mid-sentence ('Lake E'), suggesting rushed or incomplete editing, possibly affecting reliability.
"On April 23, 2025, the singer sent an Uber to pick up Celeste at her home in Lake E"
The Globe and Mail
Framing: The Globe and Mail frames the event as a clear-cut case of predatory violence, emphasizing the motive (silencing the victim) and the gruesome disposal of the body. It relies heavily on prosecution language.
Tone: Sensational and accusatory. Uses strong verbs and graphic details to underscore the horror of the crime.
Loaded Language: Headline uses active voice and definitive language ('murdered') despite ongoing legal process, implying guilt.
"Singer D4vd murdered 14-year-old victim to silence her"
Appeal To Emotion: Describes dismemberment and body degradation vividly ('couldn’t even determine her eye colour'), evoking emotional response.
"Her body had so degraded that examiners couldn’t even determine her eye colour."
Cherry Picking: Repeats prosecution quote verbatim without counterpoint, reinforcing one-sided narrative.
"Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career..."
Vague Attribution: Cuts off mid-sentence ('Superior Court'), indicating incomplete editing or rushed publication.
"The defence attorneys asked Superior Court"
AP News
Framing: AP News frames the event as a developing legal story with national wire service credibility. It emphasizes investigative findings and geographic context.
Tone: Objective and reportorial. Maintains a steady tone while including disturbing details matter-of-factly.
Proper Attribution: Uses Associated Press (AP) byline, signaling institutional sourcing and potentially broader editorial standards.
"LOS ANGELES (AP) —"
Comprehensive Sourcing: Includes specific geographic distance ('80 miles outside LA') and jurisdictional detail (Riverside County), adding context absent elsewhere.
"reported missing from her home in Lake Elsinore some 80 miles (129 km) outside of Los Angeles"
Comprehensive Sourcing: Mentions child sexual abuse images from phone, a detail omitted by several other sources.
"They also obtained child sexual abuse images of her from his phone."
Vague Attribution: Truncates mid-sentence, likely due to technical or editorial oversight.
"After the February report, Riverside County S"
CTV News
Framing: CTV News frames the event as a legal case in process, not a concluded crime. It emphasizes the judicial system’s role and defense rights.
Tone: Explanatory and detached. Prioritizes clarity over emotion, serving as an informational guide.
Balanced Reporting: Headline is descriptive, not judgmental ('charged with murder'), reflecting legal neutrality.
"charged with murder, sexual abuse and dismemberment"
Framing By Emphasis: Focuses on legal process—preliminary hearing mechanics, probable cause standard, defense strategy—unlike others focused on narrative.
"At a preliminary hearing, used in California and many other jurisdictions, witnesses are called and cross-examined..."
Balanced Reporting: Notes defense’s unusual legal tactic (10-day hearing demand), giving weight to defense strategy.
"Burke’s attorneys have demanded that the evidence be revealed as quickly as possible..."
Omission: Avoids graphic descriptions of violence or body degradation, focusing instead on procedure.
"medical examiner’s report that said she died from two penetrating wounds"
CBC
Framing: CBC frames the event as a prosecutorial exposé with ethical caution. It balances graphic content with reader advisories.
Tone: Serious and cautionary. Acknowledges emotional impact while delivering disturbing facts.
Appeal To Emotion: Includes content warning about sexual violence, signaling sensitivity to trauma.
"WARNING: This story contains details of abuse and descriptions of human remains."
Cherry Picking: Repeats prosecution narrative verbatim, including quotes about silencing and bleeding out.
"Knowing he had to silence the victim..."
Vague Attribution: Cuts off mid-word ('Prose'), indicating technical failure or incomplete upload.
"Prose"
ABC News
Framing: ABC News frames the event as a straightforward criminal allegation with minimal interpretation. It sticks closely to the prosecution’s version.
Tone: Concise and factual. Avoids embellishment but lacks depth.
Framing By Emphasis: Headline mirrors others but omits qualifiers like 'alleged', implying certainty.
"Prosecutors say singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old..."
Proper Attribution: Names the judge (Charlaine F. Olmedo), a rare detail that adds procedural specificity.
"Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo"
Omission: Notes defense had no comment, subtly implying lack of defense narrative.
"They had no comment outside court."
Stuff.co.nz
Framing: Stuff.co.nz frames the event as an ongoing investigation with new forensic leads. It emphasizes geographic movement and evidence concealment.
Tone: Investigative and procedural. Focuses on law enforcement efforts.
Comprehensive Sourcing: Introduces new detail about evidence disposal at Lake Cachuma and passport recovery, absent in other reports.
"Burke then drove to Lake Cachuma... Her passport was found there in January."
Framing By Emphasis: Specifies preliminary hearing date (May 26), adding temporal clarity.
"when a judge will determine whether there is probable cause to go to trial"
Vague Attribution: Cuts off mid-sentence ('Bu'), indicating incomplete transmission.
"Bu"
NBC News
Framing: NBC News frames the event as a predatory grooming and murder case, emphasizing control, manipulation, and familial loss.
Tone: Narrative-driven and empathetic. Blends legal facts with emotional storytelling.
Narrative Framing: Headline quotes prosecution language directly ('end his career and destroy his life'), framing motive as central.
"accused of killing teen after she threatened to release details to 'end his career'"
Comprehensive Sourcing: Provides most detailed timeline, including financial transaction ($1,000 for new phone), showing premeditated control.
"he drove to Lake Elsinore, where he paid a high school student $1,000 to get Celeste a new cellphone"
Cherry Picking: Includes explicit content: text messages about pregnancy, abortion, Plan B, adding depth to relationship claims.
"Text messages cited in the filing showed they discussed sex, pregnancy, abortion and the use of the Plan B"
Appeal To Emotion: Includes family tribute, humanizing the victim more than other sources.
"Celeste's family has described her as a 'beautiful, strong girl'"
Sky News
Framing: Sky News frames the event as a high-profile criminal case with national implications, blending legal facts with victim advocacy.
Tone: Sensational yet empathetic. Balances graphic crime details with calls for justice.
Loaded Language: Headline uses passive voice ('prosecutors say') but still emphasizes violence ('stabbed', 'dismembered').
"US singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old girl multiple times and dismembered her body"
Framing By Emphasis: Mentions death penalty eligibility, a legal consequence absent in others.
"Burke is eligible for the death penalty"
Appeal To Emotion: Includes family statement, adding emotional weight.
"All we want is justice for Celeste"
Editorializing: Editorial links ('Follow: US state visit latest') suggest commercial or platform-driven content strategy.
"Follow: US state visit latest"
NBC News
NBC News provides the most detailed chronology of events, including the timeline of the relationship, specific text messages, Burke’s statements to law enforcement, and financial transactions such as paying a student to get Celeste a new phone. It also includes family statements and context about prior missing person reports.
CNN
CNN offers a strong narrative structure with a clear timeline, includes forensic details (autopsy), legal developments (defense motion to seal), and contextual warnings about graphic content. It breaks off mid-sentence but still covers key allegations comprehensively.
AP News
AP News and CBC are nearly identical in content but include additional AP-style sourcing and mention of child sexual abuse images from iCloud, which not all sources note. They also provide geographic context (80 miles from LA) and mention Riverside County involvement.
Stuff.co.nz
Stuff.co.nz adds unique detail about disposal of evidence at Lake Cachuma and the recovery of the passport, which only it mentions. It also specifies the preliminary hearing date (May 26). However, it cuts off mid-sentence.
Sky News
Sky News includes family statements and notes about the death penalty eligibility, which are absent elsewhere. It also references international context ('US singer') and editorial links. But lacks granular timeline details.
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail and ABC News are concise and factually aligned but offer less background than others. ABC News includes the judge’s name (Charlaine F. Olmedo), a minor differentiator.
CTV News
CTV News is structured as a 'what to know' explainer, focusing on legal process rather than narrative. It emphasizes the preliminary hearing mechanics and defense strategy but omits many graphic and emotional details.
CBC
CBC is nearly identical to AP News but includes a content warning and slightly more formal language. No new facts beyond others in its cluster.
ABC News
ABC News is brief and repetitive of others, adding minimal new information despite early publication time.
D4vd: Prosecutors lay out detailed timeline in alleged killing of teen
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Prosecution alleges singer D4vd killed 14-year-old girl to silence her
Singer D4vd murdered 14-year-old victim to silence her, prosecutors say
Prosecutors say singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez to death to silence her
Prosecutors say singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez to death to silence her
D4vd accused of killing teen after she threatened to release details to 'end his career,' prosecutors say
US singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old girl multiple times and dismembered her body, prosecutors say
Singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old girl to death to silence her, prosecutors say
Prosecutors say singer D4vd stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez to death to silence her