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The parents of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, nan 14-year-old woman recovered dormant and dismembered successful a Tesla belonging to aspiring singer David "D4vd" Burke, had an ongoing narration pinch her accused slayer that her parents knew about, according to tribunal testimony.
They took steps to abstracted nan two, prosecutors person said, including taking her telephone distant and calling constabulary erstwhile she ran distant from home. At 1 point, he allegedly paid a precocious schooler $1,000 to present her a caller phone, according to prosecutors.
Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Ferrel testified astir damning matter connection communications Monday arsenic Burke's week-long preliminary proceeding neared an end, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.
RISING SINGER DISMEMBERED TEEN WHO THREATENED TO EXPOSE HIM IN KIDDIE POOL WITH CHAINSAW: DA
David "D4vd" Burke pictured extracurricular Amiri, during nan Paris Fashion week Men's Spring/Summer 2026 connected June 26, 2025 successful Paris, France. Burke has been charged pinch a 14-year-old girl's execution successful Los Angeles. (Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)
But Burke's defense squad countered that Celeste's family had consented to astatine slightest immoderate of their clip together, presenting a support gaffe signed by her parents allowing Celeste to recreation to London pinch Burke, according to nan outlet. And Celeste's sister reportedly went pinch her and Burke connected a travel to Las Vegas. In immoderate matter messages, Celeste told Burke she was 16 and 18 years old.
The judge yet accepted nan prosecution's lawsuit and cleared a way to trial. Burke could look nan decease punishment if convicted, though California has a moratorium connected carrying retired superior punishment. Prosecutors person not yet made nan determination connected whether they will activity it.
Burke is accused of sidesplitting Celeste 2 days earlier his debut medium was released — aft prosecutors opportunity she threatened to expose him arsenic a child molester erstwhile he turned his attraction toward different females.
Photographs, friendly notes, and flowers are among nan items near astatine a memorial connected Thursday for slain teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was recovered dormant successful nan trunk of a Tesla successful a Hollywood tow gait connected Sept. 25, 2025 successful Lake Elsinore, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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"D4vd allegedly squandered his fame and luck by brutally killing a young woman because he feared their illicit intersexual narration would ruin his aspiring career," said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. "The only headlines that will travel his shape sanction from present guardant will beryllium astir nan vicious execution of a young girl."
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Mugshot of D4vd, who is facing a first-degree execution complaint successful nan decease of a 14-year-old girl. (Los Angeles County District Attorney)
According to prosecutors, Burke invited Celeste to his location successful Hollywood Hills connected April 23, 2025. They said an Uber dropped her off, and that was nan past clip she was seen alive.
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The adjacent morning, Burke sat for a power question and reply astir his forthcoming medium and past began a bid of what prosecutors allege were suspicious online purchased — a shove, 3 chainsaws, a assemblage container and a bluish kiddie pool. Some of nan items were ordered utilizing an alias, according to nan Los Angeles DA's Office.
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Burke is accused of stabbing Celeste to decease soon aft she arrived, past dismembering her pinch a chainsaw successful nan excavation successful his garage, wherever investigators allegedly recovered DNA accordant pinch nan victim's.
Singer D4vd arrested successful Los Angeles successful relationship to nan execution of a 14-year-old woman recovered successful a Tesla trunk, constabulary say. (Photo by Timothy Norris/Getty Images for Coachella)
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Then connected Sept. 8, 2025, Burke's abandoned Tesla was impounded, and constabulary recovered Celeste's decomposing remains inside, according to prosecutors. There were fragments of nan excavation integrative "embedded" successful her remains.
Burke is owed backmost successful tribunal connected Aug. 31 for an arraignment hearing.
