The 21-year-old artist was arrested in mid-April for the gruesome murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a young Californian woman he had held under his control for months. Her dismembered and decomposing body was discovered on September 8 in a Hollywood impound lot.

American singer D4vd used a chainsaw to dismember the body of a minor teenager with whom he had had sexual relations, according to a court document released Wednesday by the Los Angeles District Attorney's office.

The 21-year-old artist, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, was arrested in mid-April for the gruesome murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a young Californian woman he had held under his control for months. Her dismembered and decomposing body was discovered on September 8th in a Hollywood impound lot, inside a Tesla registered in the singer's name.

“The accused took appalling measures to destroy and dispose of the victim’s body,” details the prosecutor’s office document released Wednesday. “After placing her body in a blue inflatable pool to prevent her blood from spreading on the floor of his garage, the accused used a chainsaw and possibly other tools to dismember her.” DAvd also allegedly amputated two of the young woman’s fingers, one of which bore a tattoo of his name. The prosecutor’s office states that the body remained in the vehicle for nearly four months before it was discovered.

A violent argument

D4vd is being prosecuted for murder, sexual assault of a minor, and mutilation of a corpse. He has pleaded not guilty and faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty. This gruesome murder has garnered significant attention in the United States, particularly because D4vd's work seemed to resonate with it. The R&B singer rose to fame in 2022 when his song "Romantic Homicide" went viral on TikTok. In the music video for another song, "One More Dance," released last year, the singer depicts a doppelganger of himself being dragged to a car before being locked in the trunk.

According to the prosecution, D4vd allegedly killed Celeste Rivas Hernandez after a violent argument during which she threatened to reveal their sexual relationship, which they claim could have ended his music career. The singer reportedly summoned her to his Hollywood home on April 23, 2025. "Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career, (...) the accused stabbed the victim repeatedly until she died and then stood and watched her bleed to death," the court document states.

According to the prosecution, D4vd met the girl when she was 11 years old and had sexual relations with her from the age of 13. They reportedly separated at the end of November 2024. Exchanges of messages allegedly mention "a pregnancy, an abortion, and the use of the morning-after pill."

In pre-trial detention

Police had already questioned D4vd in February 2024, after Celeste's family reported her missing. He denied knowing she was a minor, and the teenager returned home a few days later.

Her parents had subsequently confiscated her phone, but according to the prosecution, D4vd allegedly paid a high school student $1,000 to give the teenager a new device in order to continue their relationship. In the following months, he allegedly took her to Las Vegas, Texas, and London.

During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, the singer's defense denounced the document released by the prosecution as "biased" and requested that it be sealed to ensure a fair trial. The judge denied this request. D4vd remains in pretrial detention. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 12.