The family of a 14-year-old girl whose dismembered body was found in a Tesla registered to alt-pop singer D4vd has publicly urged prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against him, according to ABC7 and other outlets.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was last known to be alive nearly a year before her remains were discovered in September 2025. In a statement released Sunday — the eve of what would have been her 16th birthday — her family released a new photo of the deceased and directed remarks to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. They said that the death penalty for D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, “would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience.”
“But that’s not in our hands, but rather in God’s, and the California justice system,” the family statement continued.
The family’s call comes as the 21-year-old Houston-born musician faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with Hernandez’s death. As the Associated Press reported, Burke was arrested in April at a Hollywood home by homicide detectives and has pleaded not guilty through his attorneys, who issued a statement asserting his innocence.
According to court records cited by the AP, the murder charge includes special circumstances — lying in wait, committing the crime for financial gain, and murdering a witness in an investigation — that could make Burke eligible for the death penalty. Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek capital punishment.
California has not carried out an execution in two decades, though the death penalty remains legal in the state. Governor Gavin Newsom imposed a moratorium on executions in 2019, which he later expanded to include the dismantling of the state’s execution chamber.
In addition to murder, Burke is charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilation of a body, according to the AP report.
The case has drawn widespread attention not only because of the horrific nature of the allegations but also because Burke was a rising star in the music industry. His 2022 breakout single, “Romantic Homicide,” became a global hit, amassing more than a billion streams on Spotify, alongside several other tracks that achieved similar milestones.
Burke’s debut full-length album, “Withered,” was released just two days after prosecutors allege Hernandez was killed, adding a chilling layer to an already disturbing narrative.
According to ABC7, the family’s statement marked the first time they have publicly addressed the case in detail since Burke’s arrest. The new photo they released showed Hernandez as a smiling teenager, a stark contrast to the grim circumstances of her death.
Authorities have not released many details about the timeline of Hernandez’s death or how she came to be in the Tesla, which was found abandoned and allegedly registered in Burke’s name. The car was discovered in September 2025 with Hernandez’s dismembered and decomposed remains inside the trunk, according to police reports cited by the AP.
The case has also raised questions about Burke’s celebrity status and whether his fame played a role in the initial investigation. Police said at the time of his arrest that they had been building the case for months, using forensic evidence and witness interviews to link the singer to the crime.
Burke’s attorneys have maintained his innocence and have suggested that the evidence against him is circumstantial. They have not commented publicly on the family’s latest statement, but legal analysts say the special circumstances allegations could make the case a test of California’s death penalty statutes, which have been rarely used in recent years.
“This is a case that has all the elements of a high-profile capital prosecution,” said one legal expert who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The involvement of a celebrity defendant, the brutality of the crime, and the political climate around capital punishment in California all point to a lengthy and contentious legal process.”
Hernandez’s family, meanwhile, has expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation and the possibility that Burke may never face execution. Their statement to Hochman was both a plea and a rebuke, reflecting a deep distrust of a system they feel has failed to deliver justice.
“We don’t know if the death penalty will ever happen,” a family spokesperson told ABC7. “But we want the DA to know that this is what we believe is just.”
As the case proceeds through the courts, the music world has watched with unease, as Burke’s streaming numbers remain high, even as his legal troubles mount. Some fans have struggled to reconcile the artist’s public persona with the allegations, while others have called for his music to be removed from platforms.
Burke’s next court appearance has not been announced, and prosecutors have declined to comment on the death penalty decision, stating only that they will review the case thoroughly before making any announcement.
For Hernandez’s family, the wait has been agonizing. They have spent the past year mourning a daughter whose life was cut short in the most brutal fashion, and they now face the added burden of navigating a legal system that may not provide the closure they seek.
“We just want justice for Celeste,” the family’s statement read. “We hope the DA hears us.”
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/09/08/family-of-14-year-old-girl-found-dismembered-in-singer-d4vds-tesla-seeks-death-penalty/