Dismembered Teen's Death Cause Revealed in D4vd Case
- The cause of death was disclosed for a teen found dismembered in rapper D4vd's Tesla in Los Angeles. - The victim was identified as 17-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, seven months after discovery. - This update sheds new light on the gruesome case involving the local artist's car, patch.com.
Los Angeles County’s medical examiner says Celeste Rivas Hernandez died from multiple penetrating injuries, and ruled her death a homicide. (me.lacounty.gov) The finding was released on April 22, 2026, more than seven months after Celeste’s remains were found on Sept. 8, 2025, inside the front storage compartment of a Tesla registered to singer D4vd at a Hollywood tow yard. (abcnews.com) Officials now identify Celeste as 14 years old, not 17. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced this week that David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old musician known as D4vd, is charged with first-degree murder in her death. (da.lacounty.gov) Prosecutors also charged Burke with mutilation of human remains, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and lewd acts with a child under 14. Burke pleaded not guilty on April 21, and the Associated Press reported that his lawyers said he is innocent. (apnews.com) The autopsy release answers one question that had been open since last fall: how Celeste was killed before her body was dismembered. The medical examiner’s statement does not name a suspect or assign criminal responsibility. (me.lacounty.gov) That distinction matters in this case because the coroner’s office determines cause and manner of death, while prosecutors must prove who caused it and whether the killing meets the elements of the charges. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office’s case includes forensic and digital evidence. (abcnews.com) Hochman said on April 20 that Burke allegedly killed Celeste after she threatened to expose what prosecutors describe as an illegal sexual relationship. The district attorney’s office said special-circumstance allegations could make Burke eligible for life without parole or the death penalty if he is convicted. (da.lacounty.gov) Burke’s defense has pushed back on the case. Reporting on the autopsy release said his legal team maintains his innocence as the prosecution moves toward trial. (foxla.com) For now, the medical examiner’s update narrows the factual record to one official conclusion: Celeste Rivas Hernandez was killed by penetrating injuries, and her death has been classified as a homicide as the criminal case against Burke moves ahead. (me.lacounty.gov)
