Singer D4vd, accused of dismembering teen Celeste Rivas and hiding her in his Tesla, faces death penalty demands from her family.

A California singer allegedly murdered a 14-year-old girl and concealed her dismembered body inside his car trunk, according to prosecutors.

David Anthony Burke, a musician known professionally as D4vd, resides in a Hollywood Hills home.

The performer was arrested in April in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas, authorities said.

Burke was formally charged with one count of murder, according to court documents.

The defendant also faces one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and one count of unlawful mutilation of human remains, prosecutors said.

In September 2025, the body of 14-year-old Rivas was discovered inside the trunk of a Tesla registered to the singer, officials said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office alleged that the singer killed Rivas on April 23, 2025, prosecutors stated. That fatal encounter allegedly came one day after the two had a “lengthy argument” over text messages, according to court filings.

Burke allegedly stabbed Rivas to death inside the garage of his Hollywood Hills home, the prosecution alleged.

The musician then allegedly used a chainsaw and other objects to dismember her body, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors argued that he “amputated her left ring and pinky fingers because her ring finger contained a tattoo of his name.”

“Her fingers have not been recovered,” prosecutors stated.

“Defendant then placed her head and torso into the cadaver bag he purchased,” according to the prosecution.

“He placed her limbs into a garbage bag, which he deposited into his front trunk, laying the cadaver bag on top,” prosecutors argued.

“For several weeks, or possibly months, defendant left the victim’s body to decompose inside his Tesla,” court documents stated.

At the time of his April arrest, Burke’s former defense team denied the singer was involved in Rivas’ death, records show.

“Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death,” the singer’s attorneys told TMZ.

During an arraignment hearing on August 31, Burke pleaded not guilty to murder, according to court records.

At that time, the defendant also changed his legal team, replacing celebrity lawyers Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter with a public defender, proceedings show.

“This morning, the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel,” Berk, Bednarski and Peter said in a statement, per Rolling Stone.

“We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges,” the departing attorneys said in the statement.

“We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office had taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him,” the statement added.

The victim’s family issued a statement to The California Post on Sunday, September 6, voicing their position on the case, the outlet reported. The statement came one day before what would have been Rivas’ 16th birthday, the family noted.

Rivas’ family said they are in support of the singer facing the death penalty as he faces trial for murder, according to the statement.

“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,” Rivas’ family said.

The statement added, “But that’s not in our hands, but rather in God’s, and the California justice system.”

Burke remains awaiting trial on the murder charge after entering his not-guilty plea, court records show.