Singer D4vd Accused of Murdering Teen; Texts Reveal Pregnancy and Abortion
Text messages between singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, and Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old he is accused of murdering, indicate she had been pregnant and had an abortion before her death. The messages were presented during a preliminary hearing in a Los Angeles court on Friday to determine if the singer should stand trial for the teen's death.
According to prosecutors, in June 2024, Celeste, then 13, texted Burke, then 19, asking, 'What [if] the first abortion didn't work?' The exchanges were part of evidence presented by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, which alleges that Burke killed the girl after she threatened to reveal he had been sexually abusing a minor and damage his career. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and sexual abuse.
In a January 2024 exchange, Burke apologised to the teen for 'putting her through this,' and Celeste responded, 'neither of us are capable of watching and taking care of the baby. it's for the best no?' Burke then asked, 'also my mother always told me to ask this question if I was ever in this situation … it is mine right?' Celeste replied, 'of course its yours David,' according to testimony from Detective Corey Farell of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The court also heard a text from Burke in June 2024: 'Let's let this abortion be the last one til we have the real one…' Prosecutors presented iCloud data from Burke's iPhone showing messages dating back to 8 August 2022, when Celeste was 11 and Burke was 17. The phone also contained explicit photos of the teenager, prosecutors and Detective Farell said.
Celeste's mother, Mercedes Rivas Hernandez, became visibly emotional and left the courtroom with her husband as details of some photographs were read aloud. The victim's body was found in the front trunk of Burke's Tesla in September 2025, the day after she would have turned 15. He was on tour at the time and subsequently cancelled his worldwide tour, largely withdrawing from public life.
Police arrested Burke in April 2026. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed seven criminal charges, including murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of remains. The teen was reported missing by her family and last seen at Burke's Hollywood Hills home on 3 April 2025, five months before her remains were discovered. Prosecutors allege Burke met Celeste online when she was 11 and began sexually abusing her when she was 13 and he was 18.
