Singer D4vd's alleged victim was unrecognizable due to decomposition, detective testifies

The body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, found in the trunk of singer D4vd's car, was "unrecognizable" due to advanced decomposition, a Los Angeles Police Department detective testified on Tuesday, April 21st. The singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke and is known as D4vd, is 21 years old and faces multiple charges, including murder, for the young woman's death. Her body was discovered inside the artist's Tesla in September of the previous year, shortly before her 15th birthday. Detective Joshua Byers described a "very characteristic" smell of a corpse upon opening the trunk, noting significant decomposition that rendered the victim unrecognizable. Photos of the dismembered remains were presented in court during the preliminary hearing, which Burke attended in an orange prison uniform. Prosecutors allege Burke met Celeste when she was 11 and began a sexual relationship when she was 13. A bodycam video showed Burke stating, "She told me she was 18. Everyone says she was 13." The victim's mother reported her missing in 2024. Authorities claim Burke committed the crime after Hernandez threatened to expose their relationship, which is considered illegal. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a minor under 14, and illegal mutilation of human remains. He faces potential life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.