Singer D4vd named as “Target” in probe into 14 year-old’s death
U.S. singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has been identified as a target in a California grand jury investigation into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Court filings recently made public reveal that prosecutors are looking into Burke’s possible involvement in the case.
Celeste, a seventh-grader from Lake Elsinore, California, had been missing since April 2024. Her remains were discovered in September 2025 inside a Tesla registered to an address connected to Burke in Texas.
Investigators found the teenager’s decomposed head and torso in a cadaver bag in the front trunk of the vehicle, which was impounded at a Hollywood tow yard following reports of a foul odor. Allegedly, her arms and legs were found in a separate black bag.
Though D4vd has been named a target, he has not been formally charged, and no indictment has been issued as the grand jury continues its proceedings.
The filings also detail legal disputes involving the singer’s family. Burke’s father challenged a subpoena in Texas, arguing that the court had violated his due process rights by requiring him to appear in California without access to the full documents supporting the summons.
Nevertheless, the court ordered the family members to travel to California to testify before the grand jury, with Los Angeles police escorting them from Texas.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has placed a security hold on the case, preventing the release of further details surrounding Hernandez’s death.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the teenager’s disappearance and death.
