Singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has been officially named as the “target” in a grand jury investigation concerning the alleged homicide of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, according to recently disclosed court documents obtained by Rolling Stone.
A 151-page filing, which includes petitions from D4vd’s parents and brother, indicates that the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has identified the artist as a focus of its grand jury investigation. Filed in Texas, where sealing protections from California do not apply, the documents called for grand jury testimony from D4vd’s father, Dawud Burke, mother, Colleen Burke, and brother, Caleb Burke, beginning on February 11. The documents also suggest that D4vd “may be involved in having committed” one count of murder.
The filings provided new insights regarding the state of Rivas’s remains when investigators examined the trunk of D4vd’s towed Tesla at an impound lot on September 8, 2025. “When the front storage compartment was opened, detectives observed a black cadaver bag covered with insects and a strong odor of decay,” the documents noted. “Using black latex gloves, detectives partially unzipped the bag and found a decomposed head and torso.”
Once the first cadaver bag was removed, investigators discovered that the arms and legs had been severed from the body. A second black bag was found beneath the first, which contained the dismembered body parts.
Originally filed under seal in California, these records became public through a Texas appellate procedure associated with the family’s fight against compelled testimony. The musician’s relatives were described as being “close” to D4vd. When they attempted to challenge the subpoenas due to their nebulous nature, a Texas prosecutor urged a judge to recognize the relevance of the family’s testimony during a hearing on February 2 in Waller County, Texas, as detailed in a transcript acquired by Rolling Stone.
“If a car with a dismembered, decomposing body is registered to your home address, you should expect scrutiny from authorities,” Waller County Assistant DA Bennett Dodson stated. He requested that the court deem the family witnesses as essential and material, arguing their testimony would not impose undue hardship.
The Texas First District Court of Appeals denied habeas corpus petitions from all three family members, which sought to reverse a lower court’s decision mandating their testimony in California. One of the family’s lawyers informed Rolling Stone that their legal battle over the subpoenas continues. “While the Court of Appeals denied our writ, we filed a subsequent writ with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which issued a stay of the lower court’s order requiring the Burkes’ presence in California,” attorney Kent A. Schaffer stated.
Following reports of a body found in the trunk of the musician’s Tesla in September, authorities noted the remains had decayed significantly, taking medical examiners a full week to identify the victim as Celeste Rivas, who was reported missing by her family in February and April 2024. In November, Los Angeles Police Det. Joshua Byers referred to the matter as a “murder investigation” and requested a court order to keep Rivas’ autopsy findings confidential, arguing that public release could hinder the investigation—a request that was granted.
D4vd rose to fame as a platinum-selling artist, particularly popular on TikTok, with breakout hits like “Romantic Homicide” and “Here With Me” in 2022. His anticipated deluxe version of the album Withered has been shelved, along with the remainder of his U.S. tour, due to the ongoing investigation.
