Teen whom singer D4vd is charged with killing died from penetrating wounds
TL;DR
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old girl, died from penetrating injuries, ruled a homicide. Singer D4vd, charged with her murder, pleaded not guilty and claims he is innocent.
Key points
- Celeste Rivas Hernandez died from penetrating injuries.
- Her death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
- D4vd is charged with first-degree murder and other offenses.
- He pleaded not guilty and claims he is innocent.
- The case involves allegations of a sexual relationship with a minor.
Mentioned in this story
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old girl whom the singer D4vd is charged with killing, died from penetrating injuries, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday.
Her death was ruled a homicide in the report from the Los Angeles county medical examiner’s office that had been blocked from release for months.
A judge had ordered the report sealed in November at the request of law enforcement after the girl’s dismembered and decomposed body was found in a pair of bags in the trunk of a Tesla parked in the Hollywood Hills in September. Prosecutors agreed this week to allow its release.
The 21-year-old alt-pop singer D4vd , whose legal name is David Burke, was charged in the killing Monday. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating a dead body. Burke’s attorneys said he did not cause Rivas Hernandez’s death and they will vigorously defend his innocence.
Prosecutors allege he killed the girl because she threatened to report they had a sexual relationship that began when she was 13 years old and he feared it would ruin his rising career.
A criminal complaint alleges he killed her with a sharp object and dismembered the body about two weeks later.
According to the autopsy, she had significant wounds to her torso, likely caused by a sharp object. Her body had so degraded that examiners couldn’t determine her eye color. She had braces at the time of her death, and a tattoo that read “Shhh....” on the inside of a finger, according to the report. Two other fingers were missing, as were parts of her arms and legs.
LA county’s chief medical examiner, Dr Odey C Ukpo, has sought to emphasize his agency’s independence from law enforcement and to make its work as public as possible since he took over the job three years ago. He has said he does not believe sealing reports of his office’s work helps investigations and has said he would only put holds on releasing the reports if compelled by a court order.
“After several months, I am grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss,” Ukpo said in a statement Wednesday. “It is unfathomable they have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter.”
Q&A
What were the circumstances of Celeste Rivas Hernandez's death?
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found dismembered and decomposed in bags in a Tesla trunk, with her death ruled a homicide due to penetrating injuries.
What charges does singer D4vd face in relation to the murder?
D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, faces charges of first-degree murder, lewd acts with a minor, and mutilating a dead body.
Why did D4vd allegedly kill Celeste Rivas Hernandez?
Prosecutors allege D4vd killed her to prevent her from reporting their sexual relationship, which began when she was 13, fearing it would damage his career.
