The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old Lake Elsinore girl who singer D4vd is accused of killing last year, is calling for the defendant to face the death penalty.
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The 21-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges stemming from the death.
The girl’s dismembered and decomposing remains were found in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard on Sept. 8, 2025. According to a prosecution court filing, the vehicle had been towed three days earlier from 400 feet from Burke’s Hollywood Hills home.
“If the death penalty were activated, it would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience, who only caused pain to our daughter, our family, and the world that supports our precious daughter,” the Rivas Hernandez family said in a statement on Monday, Sept. 7, on what would have been her 16th birthday Monday.
“But that’s not in our hands, but rather in God’s, and the California justice system,” the family added.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said that he has not decided whether to seek the death penalty for Burke.
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California still has the death penalty on the books, but the last time a condemned prisoner was executed in the state was in January 2006. Gov. Gavin Newsom placed an official moratorium on executions in 2019.
Burke was charged April 20 with capital murder in the 2025 death, along with the special-circumstance allegations of lying in wait and murder for financial gain. He remains jailed without bail.
Burke is also charged with one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a child under age 14 and mutilation of human remains.
Prosecutors contend the singer killed the underage girl to prevent her from damaging his burgeoning music career by going public about their lengthy sexual relationship.
Burke is represented by a public defender after his three previous attorneys withdrew from the case a week ago.
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