On April 20, 2026, Los Angeles County prosecutors filed murder charges against 21-year-old musician David Anthony Burke, known globally as TikTok star D4vd, for the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered remains were found in the trunk of his Tesla seven months earlier.
How the discovery unfolded after months of silence
Investigators were first alerted on September 8, 2025, when tow yard employees in Hollywood reported a foul odor coming from a parked Tesla registered to Burke. Inside the vehicle’s front trunk, they discovered black bags containing human remains. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting it had been inside the car for weeks or months.
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>The timing added a grim layer to the discovery: Hernandez’s remains were found just one day after her 15th birthday. Her family and friends had reported her missing at least three times in 2024, with neighbors telling the Los Angeles Times she had repeatedly run away from home prior to her disappearance.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>What the charges reveal about the alleged motive and method
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Hochman outlined three aggravating factors in the murder accusation: premeditation, financial motive, and an effort to hide a separate offense. Authorities also allege Burke committed sexual acts with a minor and mutilated the victim’s body after death. These elements, if proven, could expose him to life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty under California law.
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Burke’s legal team, led by attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, has denied the allegations, insisting the evidence will show he neither caused Hernandez’s death nor was responsible for her killing. They have not yet entered a formal plea.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Why the case has drawn attention beyond the courtroom
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Burke rose to fame through viral TikTok hits like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me,” which accumulated billions of streams, and composed the official anthem for the 2025 edition of Fortnite. The contrast between his youthful, melancholic music persona and the violent allegations has intensified public scrutiny.
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>The case also highlights gaps in how missing minors are tracked, particularly those with unstable home lives. Hernandez, who came from a Salvadoran immigrant family, had interacted with law enforcement multiple times before vanishing, yet no connection was made to Burke until the body surfaced months later.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>What happens next in the legal process
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Burke was arrested three days before the charges were filed, during a sweep in the Hollywood Hills. He had been under investigation since November 2025, which culminated in a grand jury review prior to the indictment. No trial date has been set, and prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Why was the body not discovered sooner if it was in the car for months?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>The Tesla had been reported as abandoned and left unattended at the tow yard for an extended period, which delayed inspection. Employees only acted after noticing a strong, unusual smell, prompting them to notify authorities.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Is there any evidence linking Burke to Hernandez before her disappearance?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Investigators state Hernandez was at Burke’s home in April 2025 and was never seen alive afterward. Burke had come under police scrutiny months before the body was found, though no public evidence of prior contact has been released beyond her presence at his residence.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:paragraph –>The indictment, announced by District Attorney Nathan Hochman, alleges Burke killed Hernandez to conceal another crime, acted out of greed, and engaged in sexual conduct with a minor under 14. Prosecutors say the girl was last seen alive in April 2025 at Burke’s residence and had been reported missing multiple times since 2024 from her home in Lake Elsinore, California.
How the discovery unfolded after months of silence
Investigators were first alerted on September 8, 2025, when tow yard employees in Hollywood reported a foul odor coming from a parked Tesla registered to Burke. Inside the vehicle’s front trunk, they discovered black bags containing human remains. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting it had been inside the car for weeks or months.
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>The timing added a grim layer to the discovery: Hernandez’s remains were found just one day after her 15th birthday. Her family and friends had reported her missing at least three times in 2024, with neighbors telling the Los Angeles Times she had repeatedly run away from home prior to her disappearance.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>What the charges reveal about the alleged motive and method
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Hochman outlined three aggravating factors in the murder accusation: premeditation, financial motive, and an effort to hide a separate offense. Authorities also allege Burke committed sexual acts with a minor and mutilated the victim’s body after death. These elements, if proven, could expose him to life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty under California law.
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Burke’s legal team, led by attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, has denied the allegations, insisting the evidence will show he neither caused Hernandez’s death nor was responsible for her killing. They have not yet entered a formal plea.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Why the case has drawn attention beyond the courtroom
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Burke rose to fame through viral TikTok hits like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me,” which accumulated billions of streams, and composed the official anthem for the 2025 edition of Fortnite. The contrast between his youthful, melancholic music persona and the violent allegations has intensified public scrutiny.
The case also highlights gaps in how missing minors are tracked, particularly those with unstable home lives. Hernandez, who came from a Salvadoran immigrant family, had interacted with law enforcement multiple times before vanishing, yet no connection was made to Burke until the body surfaced months later.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>What happens next in the legal process
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Burke was arrested three days before the charges were filed, during a sweep in the Hollywood Hills. He had been under investigation since November 2025, which culminated in a grand jury review prior to the indictment. No trial date has been set, and prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Why was the body not discovered sooner if it was in the car for months?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>The Tesla had been reported as abandoned and left unattended at the tow yard for an extended period, which delayed inspection. Employees only acted after noticing a strong, unusual smell, prompting them to notify authorities.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Is there any evidence linking Burke to Hernandez before her disappearance?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Investigators state Hernandez was at Burke’s home in April 2025 and was never seen alive afterward. Burke had come under police scrutiny months before the body was found, though no public evidence of prior contact has been released beyond her presence at his residence.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:heading –>The indictment, announced by District Attorney Nathan Hochman, alleges Burke killed Hernandez to conceal another crime, acted out of greed, and engaged in sexual conduct with a minor under 14. Prosecutors say the girl was last seen alive in April 2025 at Burke’s residence and had been reported missing multiple times since 2024 from her home in Lake Elsinore, California.
How the discovery unfolded after months of silence
Investigators were first alerted on September 8, 2025, when tow yard employees in Hollywood reported a foul odor coming from a parked Tesla registered to Burke. Inside the vehicle’s front trunk, they discovered black bags containing human remains. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting it had been inside the car for weeks or months.
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>The timing added a grim layer to the discovery: Hernandez’s remains were found just one day after her 15th birthday. Her family and friends had reported her missing at least three times in 2024, with neighbors telling the Los Angeles Times she had repeatedly run away from home prior to her disappearance.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>What the charges reveal about the alleged motive and method
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Hochman outlined three aggravating factors in the murder accusation: premeditation, financial motive, and an effort to hide a separate offense. Authorities also allege Burke committed sexual acts with a minor and mutilated the victim’s body after death. These elements, if proven, could expose him to life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty under California law.
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Burke’s legal team, led by attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, has denied the allegations, insisting the evidence will show he neither caused Hernandez’s death nor was responsible for her killing. They have not yet entered a formal plea.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Why the case has drawn attention beyond the courtroom
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Burke rose to fame through viral TikTok hits like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me,” which accumulated billions of streams, and composed the official anthem for the 2025 edition of Fortnite. The contrast between his youthful, melancholic music persona and the violent allegations has intensified public scrutiny.
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>The case also highlights gaps in how missing minors are tracked, particularly those with unstable home lives. Hernandez, who came from a Salvadoran immigrant family, had interacted with law enforcement multiple times before vanishing, yet no connection was made to Burke until the body surfaced months later.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>What happens next in the legal process
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Burke was arrested three days before the charges were filed, during a sweep in the Hollywood Hills. He had been under investigation since November 2025, which culminated in a grand jury review prior to the indictment. No trial date has been set, and prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Why was the body not discovered sooner if it was in the car for months?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>The Tesla had been reported as abandoned and left unattended at the tow yard for an extended period, which delayed inspection. Employees only acted after noticing a strong, unusual smell, prompting them to notify authorities.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Is there any evidence linking Burke to Hernandez before her disappearance?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Investigators state Hernandez was at Burke’s home in April 2025 and was never seen alive afterward. Burke had come under police scrutiny months before the body was found, though no public evidence of prior contact has been released beyond her presence at his residence.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:paragraph –>
