Executive Summary
- Court filings identify singer D4vd as a “target” in a grand jury murder investigation.
- The dismembered remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found in a Tesla registered to the singer.
- D4vd’s father is contesting a subpoena to testify, citing due process violations.
- No formal charges have been filed, and the singer was reportedly on tour during the discovery.
Newly unsealed court filings have confirmed that singer David Anthony Burke, performing under the stage name D4vd, has been designated as a “target” of a grand jury investigation in Los Angeles concerning the death of a 14-year-old girl. According to the documents, the designation indicates that prosecutors may seek an indictment for murder, following the discovery of the teen’s dismembered remains in a vehicle registered to the artist’s address.
The revelation emerged after the singer’s family members were summoned by a California court to testify before the grand jury. Dawud Burke, the singer’s father, contested the summons in a Texas court, introducing previously sealed material from the California case into the public record. The filings state that while D4vd has been identified as a target, he has not yet been formally charged or indicted. Representatives for the singer have previously stated he is cooperating with authorities, and court records note he was on tour when the remains were discovered.
Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division detailed the grim discovery in the filings. On September 8, 2025, police reportedly found the decomposed remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside a Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard. The vehicle was registered to D4vd’s Texas address. According to the court documents, investigators discovered the victim’s head and torso in a cadaver bag within the front trunk, along with severed limbs in a separate bag. The condition of the remains suggested the victim had been deceased for several weeks.
Rivas Hernandez, a resident of Lake Elsinore, California, had been reported missing in April 2024. The investigation has been marked by a high degree of secrecy, with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office placing a security hold on the case to prevent the release of autopsy details. Prosecutors argued in the filings that testimony from D4vd’s family was “material and necessary” to the ongoing grand jury proceedings. However, the singer’s father has argued that the out-of-state subpoena violated due process rights due to the redaction of information justifying the compulsion to testify.
Procedural Legal Outlook
The designation of an individual as a “target” in a federal or state grand jury investigation is a significant procedural step, distinguishing them from a mere subject or witness. It typically implies that the prosecution possesses substantial evidence linking the individual to the commission of a crime and is actively seeking an indictment. The use of a security hold by the Medical Examiner further underscores the sensitive and high-stakes nature of the probe, likely intended to protect the integrity of the investigation while the grand jury deliberates on potential charges. It is important to note that all individuals, including Mr. Burke, are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
