US musician D4vd has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in the death of a teenage girl who vanished last year.
The star, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposing remains were found in September in a Tesla registered to his Texas address.
Burke, 21, also was charged with murder for financial gain and with murder of a witness to an investigation, the Los Angeles district attorney said.
He did not speak during his arraignment on Monday – his first court appearance since his arrest last week. His lawyers entered his plea on his behalf.
In a Los Angeles courtroom, the musician's defense team claimed that the actual evidence will show that David did not kill Celeste and was not the cause of her death.
We will vigorously defend David's innocence, attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter stated.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was last seen on April 23, 2025, at Burke's home and was later found dismembered in the trunk of his vehicle. The authorities allege her death involved multiple charges, including murde for financial gain.
In a press conference, District Attorney Nathan Hochman indicated that Burke committed the crime to sustain his music career, which Rivas was allegedly threatening at the time of her death.
The case details point to a tragic outcome after a series of complex investigations, raising concerns over how the evidence was processed and the timeline of events leading to Burke's arrest.
