Singer D4vd is target of L.A. County grand jury investigation into teen’s death, according to court documents

Singer D4vd Under Grand Jury Scrutiny in L.A. County Over Teen’s Death

A grand jury in Los Angeles County is examining the case of singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, in connection with the death of a 14-year-old girl. The investigation centers on the discovery of her dismembered remains in the front trunk of Burke’s Tesla last September. Court documents reveal that the teenager, identified as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, was reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, earlier in 2024.

Key Details

Hernandez’s body parts were found on Sept. 8 at a Hollywood tow lot. A manager noticed a “strong smell of decay” and the presence of flies before notifying police. Detectives arrived at the scene and observed a decomposing corpse emitting a foul odor from the car’s storage compartment, as per the filings. Inside the trunk, they uncovered a black cadaver bag, heavily infested with insects, containing the head and torso of the victim. A second bag held additional body fragments.

“Detectives approached the vehicle which was parked on the upper deck of the impound lot and immediately noticed a smell of decaying biological material consistent with a decomposing corpse coming from the front storage compartment of the vehicle,” the documents state.

The car had been abandoned on a Los Angeles street in August, prompting a citizen to report it. The Department of Transportation marked the vehicle and issued a citation before it was towed. At the time, D4vd was on tour, according to court records. His decision to cancel the remainder of his U.S. tour followed the revelation of Hernandez’s death.

Family Involvement

D4vd’s parents, Colleen and Dawud Burke, were summoned to appear before a grand jury on Feb. 11. The documents indicate that his father was called as a witness, while the mother was also included. Both reside in Texas. The singer himself has not been charged, though he remains a suspect in the case. His legal team has yet to respond to multiple inquiries.

“A police source told NBC Los Angeles that the singer has not been cooperative,” the filing notes.

Previously, D4vd’s spokesperson stated he was “fully cooperating with authorities” in September. The correction clarifies that the victim was 14 years old, not 15, as initially reported. Minyvonne Burke, a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News, authored the article.