The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez have spoken out after D4vd was charged with her murder and her cause of death was revealed.
Last week (April 20), the musician – real name David Anthony Burke – was charged in Los Angeles with the first-degree murder of the 14-year-old girl, as well as with lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 and the mutilation of a body.
The Los Angeles district attorney Nathan Hochman also said that Burke had been charged with murder for “financial gain” and with murder of a witness to an investigation.
Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges and the case is ongoing.
In a statement released to CBS News and ABC, the Rivas family has thanked the police for their “hard work” on the case so far, as well as “the people of Lake Elsinore for all their support”.
“Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance,” the statement continued. “Every Friday night was movie night, and we spent wonderful times together. We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us.”
“We miss her deeply,” the family added. “All we want is justice for Celeste.”
The Los Angeles County medical examiner’s officer announced yesterday (April 22) that Rivas Hernandez’s death was a homicide, noting that she died from “multiple penetrating injuries” caused by an undisclosed object or objects.
In February, Burke was named as the target of a grand jury investigation into the apparent murder of Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found severely decomposed in the front boot of a Tesla registered to Burke last September.
The first charge against Burke is first-degree murder with special circumstances of “lying in wait”, while the second is an additional special circumstance of alleged murder for “financial gain”. Burke is accused of murdering the 14-year-old to maintain his lucrative music career, “that Celeste was threatening on that particular night”.
The third charge of murdering a witness to an investigation is related to evidence that shows the victim was a witness in an investigation of sexual acts committed by Burke, said Hochman.
Burke’s defence team said it believed that the “actual evidence will show that David did not kill Celeste”, and claimed that he was not the cause of her death.
Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter said they would “vigorously defend David’s innocence”.
Several of D4vd’s collaborations, including with Laufey, Damiano David and Kali Uchis, have been removed from streaming services since his arrest.
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