D4vd Charged with Murder | Case by Case

0:00Matt Gutman:Hello, listeners. Today, we're sharing a preview of the new 48 Hours podcast, Case by Case. It's a weekly update on the criminal cases everyone's talking about, hosted by the trusted 48 Hours team of correspondents. From high-profile trials to stunning breaks in cold cases, as major news unfolds, we'll help you understand what matters, why it matters, and what could happen next. Take a listen.

0:30Natalie Morales:From sauce to dust to nuggets, Diablo-dusted crispy chicken nuggets. No, they don't come in mild. That would make like zero sense with the name. New Diablo-dusted crispy chicken nuggets. Only at Taco Bell. At participating U.S. Taco Bell locations for a limited time and while supplies last. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop. With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just$15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch.

1:10Natalie Morales:Upfront payment of$45 for three-month plan, equivalent to$15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com.

1:18Matt Gutman:We're going to start things off with a trigger warning. Now, some of the reporting is disturbing that you're going to be listening to, but please watch and listen with care.

1:31Natalie Morales:Today I am announcing the charges against David Anthony Burke, the musician known as David, spelled D-4-V-D, in connection with the brutal and horrific murder of Celeste, a 14-year-old at that time.

1:50Matt Gutman:That was Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hockman announcing the charges against 21-year-old singer-songwriter David Anthony Burke. He goes by the stage name David for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The district attorney calls this case a parent's nightmare and says there is significant physical, forensic, and digital evidence tying David to the crime. David Burke has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He has denied any wrongdoing. His legal team released a statement, and this is what they said. Let us be clear. The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, and he was not the cause of her death.

2:35Matt Gutman:I'm 48 Hours correspondent Natalie Morales, and this is Case by Case, where each week the team here from 48 Hours, we bring you the biggest stories in true crime in real time. And with me now to discuss the latest legal details in the charges against David Burke is CBS chief correspondent Matt Gutman, who's been covering this case from when it first broke back in September. Good to see you again, Matt. Hey, good to be with you again, Natalie. So Matt, give us the play-by-play here legally. Where is this case right now? I mean, when we're talking about play-by-play, it's literally playing out right now.

3:11As we are recording this, we're in the midst of a preliminary hearing. And so what does that actually mean? Okay, so a judge needs to determine whether there is enough evidence against David to move forward with the case. And here's the basic crux of the charges. First degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains now the medical examiner just released or we should say was allowed to release a report determining that this was a homicide specifically noting that celeste died by multiple penetrating injuries caused by an object it's believed that it was some sort of sharp object um at david's arraignment which happened on monday his defense team asked for this year and to take place as soon as possible, despite the fact that the prosecution says that it had 40 terabytes of discovery to give them.

4:08That's where we are right now.

4:09Matt Gutman:40 terabytes of discovery. That tells me that they've been working on this case for quite a while and they have a lot of information. So the investigation into David, though, it really started with the discovery of Celeste, her decomposing body in his Tesla in the front trunk. And it is so horrific. It is so graphic. It's very disturbing. I mean, is it believed then that Celeste ran away from her family to go meet him and to go live with him? So Celeste's family reported her as missing in April of 2024. This hadn't been the first time in the past she disappeared, but she'd returned home. But a year passes since Celeste's family filed their last missing persons report and in september 2025 employees in a tow yard they noticed this really foul smell and eventually they found a car and inside was a severely decomposed and dismembered body and it was later identified as celeste i remember sitting in the bureau watching this unfold because there were helicopters over it watching the work that they were doing weren't quite sure what was going on, but something was clearly found in this Tesla, in this tow yard, and lots of people in LA were seeing it unfold live.

5:28Matt Gutman:It's just so awful. I mean, hearing that and thinking about what her parents, how they were told and hearing all of these details about how their daughter was found. The question I have though, I mean, this car found in this Hollywood tow lot. Of course, it's registered to David. It's going to lead right back to him. He has denied any wrongdoing. But, you know, why did it take now more than seven months to get to this point where they charge him now? It was pretty quick that we learned that it was his car. So his name was out there early on. But again, the manner of death took a while to get to.

6:07And I think for most intents and purposes, the DA's office was keeping their cards very close to the vest. They were probably trying to protect witnesses, trying to protect evidence that might have come out. And this is a high profile case. We're talking about a musician who is exploding online, who's doing a national tour, going abroad, very, very popular. And they were trying to do all they could to protect their case.

6:36Matt Gutman:I'm sure that they were building in that time as much evidence as they could to make this arrest, right? Yeah, I mean, you know, this is something that I think the press has asked for from the very start. We were curious about the manner of death, and typically the medical examiner's report will be released. It wasn't in this case. In fact, the LAPD initiated a court order preventing the medical examiner from releasing its findings. And, you know, I just want to read to you this quote from the press release from the chief medical examiner, because clearly there was very significant tension between the medical examiner, the LAPD and the DA.

7:19So this is what they wrote, quote, it is unfathomable that they've had to wait. The families had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter. The transparency of the information contained in our findings and reports is essential for empowering the community to make informed changes to actively reduce fear and allowing the community to take informed action. This is the public's right to know. And the medical examiner, in an extraordinary, I mean, I've never seen something like this report, actually points a finger at the LAPD for not allowing this information to come out. So the information in that report says basically two penetrating wounds of the torso and a wound to the upper abdomen.

8:02Obviously, of course, Celeste's body was mutilated.

8:06Matt Gutman:Oh, gosh. And again, I go back to what Celeste's family was feeling and hearing all of this information. They, in fact, have since now spoken and have shared that these findings have caused them profound emotional pain, as you would expect. It has. And, you know, during the arraignment on Monday, they were in attendance, but they've said that they're not going to be there. The preliminary hearing, it's just too painful for them, I think. Yeah, I can only imagine.

8:53Natalie Morales:Actually reward you with time. Members can benefit from up to$1 ,150 in annual rewards, completely fee free. When you set up direct deposit, you unlock the most rewarding way to bank. Plus, you get access to thousands of fee free ATMs. And if you ever need help, time has real humans available 24 seven. The benefits really stack up to like a 5 % cash back on your time card and categories you choose. A 3.75 % APY on savings, travel perks like airport lounge access, and features like SpotMe and MyPay that give you more flexibility with your money. Honestly, my younger self could have benefited from this.

9:36Natalie Morales:Chime is not just smarter banking. It is the most rewarding way to bank. Join the millions who are already banking fee-free today. Head to Chime.com slash Case by Case. That is Chime.com slash Case by Case. It only takes a few minutes to sign up. Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services for MyPay and ChimeCard provided by Chime's bank partners. Optional products and services may have fees or charges. Stated annual percentage yield and cash back for Chime Prime only. No minimum balance required. Checking account ranking based on a J.D. Power survey published October 20, 2025. For more information on APY rates, MyPay, SpotMe, and travel perks, go to chime.com slash disclosures.

10:07Natalie Morales:You tell yourself no one wants your college-era band tees. But on Depop, people are searching for exactly what you've got. You once paid a small fortune for them at merch stands. Now, a teenager who calls them vintage will offer that same small fortune back. Sell them easily on Depop. Just snap a few photos and we'll take care of the rest. Who knew your questionable music taste would be a money-making machine? Your style can make you cash. Start selling on Depop, where taste recognizes taste.

10:40Matt Gutman:Let's talk about the popularity of David as a musician. I mean, as you alluded to, he was very successful, just 21 years old. And, you know, I mean, the number of hits and streaming views and listeners, it's I mean, this guy's career was on the rise when this happened. Clearly a very, very talented young individual. And he gained a lot of attention online as a teenager by posting montages of himself playing Fortnite. he claims he got into creating original music as a way to avoid copyright claims when soundtracking his montages which is very very interesting and indicative of this young man's talent yeah and just looking at all of his accolades you know his on spotify i mean he's released two eps several several singles a full album from 2021 to 2025 i mean he's had billions of streams at this point.

11:40Matt Gutman:And 3.6 million followers on TikTok. He worked with Fortnite to produce their official 2025 anthem, Locked and Loaded.

11:59Matt Gutman:You know, just going through his music and some of the videos that he's released, the one that caught my attention and a lot of people's as well, especially now in hindsight, is Romantic Homicide. Terrible title, given the circumstances. The video shows him, though, as a character. I read one of his interviews. He says he was inspired by anime. This was sort of a character of his. It was his inspiration, and it's his alter ego. And you see in that video, this character holding a bloody knife. There is a young woman. I mean, it's jarring seeing some of that now. I mean, obviously, David is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but it's not a great look.

12:44Yeah. You know, it's not a great look, especially since he also produced a song called Celeste. And the combination of these two things certainly has raised a lot of scrutiny.

12:54Matt Gutman:You know, it sounds like this relationship, though, was pretty well known. It was documented. And people in Celeste's life apparently knew about it. They even had, you know, unfortunately, when they discovered in the autopsy, you know, this tattoo that says, shh. And they both had these tattoos, hers on her index finger, on her right index finger. So it seems like, you know, they were together and people knew about it. And so, you know, her family was aware that she knew David. Celeste's brother told NBCLA that when she disappeared, she was on her way to see a movie with David. And court documents say that she lived with David in Los Angeles.

13:39Now, at this point, prosecutors allege that the sexual abuse began in 2023 when she had just turned 13. 13.

13:48Matt Gutman:I mean, and I think a lot of people at home probably asking themselves, so why now? I mean, she was reported missing multiple times. She's a minor. He is a legal adult. So her sexual abuse, according to the DA, I mean, was that being investigated that far back while she was still alive? I think at this point, Natalie, we could say pretty much categorically that no, there is no indication that her specific case was being investigated at the time. But the LAPD says that they only learned there was a sexual relationship after the death investigation was underway. So this brings us now to the arrest.

14:33Yeah, April 16th, you know, LAPD flooded the streets of Hollywood Hills. This is LA's prized and highly regarded robbery homicide division, and they moved in to execute the case. And they've been on the case pretty much from the start. And the DA reminds us that this investigation is still ongoing. But the DA so far has expressed confidence that they will be able to prove the charges and that their evidence will hold up in court.

15:04Matt Gutman:Yeah, let's talk a little bit about these charges, because in a case that is so heinous, there are special circumstances attached to this first degree murder charge. For our listeners not familiar with that as a legal term, explain what that means. These special circumstances in the case elevate a first degree murder charge to a higher level of severity, meaning if convicted, David could either spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole or if the DA so chooses, they can go for the death penalty. Obviously, very hard in California to do. And the DA said that at some point in the near future, they will decide about that death penalty.

15:46Matt Gutman:and and let's break down what these special circumstances are okay so the the special circumstances here there are three of them and i'm just going to read you know there's murder of a witness that's one murder for financial gain two and lying in wait and the murderer for financial gain and witness these two go hand in hand basically the state is trying to claim that Celeste was killed in order to prevent her from speaking about her sexual relationship. Let's take a listen to Hockman here.

16:18Natalie Morales:As the evidence will show in court, the financial gain was for Mr. Burke to maintain his very lucrative musical career that Celeste was threatening on that particular night.

16:33Matt Gutman:So interesting. He's releasing some detail here. the DA mentioning that Celeste was threatening to ruin David's career on that particular night. Is there evidence then that she was able to speak up to police or to go public in some way about the nature of their relationship? You know, we just don't know at this point, Natalie. That's what DA Hockman seems to be implying.

17:05Matt Gutman:As for the lying in wait charge, I know you asked District Attorney Hockman about that. Let's play a clip.

17:12Natalie Morales:The essence of a lying in wait special circumstance that we've charged in connection with the first degree murder charge is that he invited Celeste to his Hollywood Hills home on about April 23rd of 2025. And he invited her ultimately with the idea that he was going to murder her. You're saying he knew you're saying he was premeditated, that he knew he was going to murder her on that day and that you have evidence to prove that. Yes, we will prove beyond a reasonable doubt in a courtroom that the first degree murder charge, which requires premeditation in order for us to meet the elements of that charge that occurred on the night in which the individual known as David murdered Celeste.

18:03So in a case like this, prosecutors typically don't move until they believe that they have proof beyond a reasonable doubt and a clear timeline. Obviously, D.A. Hockman believes that they have reached that bar, but we haven't seen it yet. Neither is the public.

18:20Matt Gutman:This leads us to David's preliminary hearing. It's actually happening right now as we speak. Can you give us a little bit of the behind the scenes look at what's happening there? You know, I've been speaking to legal analysts about this, and what they're saying is that the defense right now is essentially calling the prosecutors bluff. We heard early in the week the defense wanted this hearing to happen as soon as possible, fully knowing that the prosecution probably wasn't going to be able to have everything that it wanted to prepare. So they are playing, I guess, a form of legal chicken here.

18:54Now, the defense says that there is not evidence against David for these charges. They have been adamant he did not commit murder. He is not involved in her death. What they want is for him to be released on bail. So far, the judge denied bail. The prosecution warned that they have 40 terabytes of evidence. And this is kind of a warning in some ways, too, because that's saying, oh, you guys want evidence? We got evidence.

19:19Matt Gutman:The prosecution also revealed that David's iPhone apparently contained a significant amount of child pornography. The defense has, meanwhile, asked the judge to move the hearing now to next week, which, you know, it appears the judge agreed to that as well. So it seems that there's been a continuation in this preliminary hearing. And Celeste's family, where are they in all of this? I mean, obviously broken. um you know seeing their faces is obviously very hard um their lawyers made it clear that they are very private i think many many media outlets have tried to reach out to them um and her parents released the first statement since the arrest earlier this week and uh i'll read a portion of it um it says celeste was a beautiful strong girl who loved to sing and dance.

20:12Every 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. All we want is justice for Celeste.

20:26Matt Gutman:It's just such a tragic case and story, but it is this family's life now. Again, David is denying any wrongdoing, but this is going to be clearly something that parents listening to, watching, will be wanting to hear more about how this all could happen. It's just beyond imagination. So yeah, this is a very dark case, and it's probably going to take some time to play out, and it will be in the headlines from now until, I assume, long after this case is completely wrapped up. We are, of course, going to continue to follow this developing story as new information is being released. We'll bring it to you.

21:12Matt Gutman:And again, Matt, thank you for being the person there, doing all the work for us here and making it easier. Thanks for having me again. We will be back next week with another episode of Case by Case. Be sure to rate and review and let us know which cases you are following.