The family of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has called for singer D4vd, who is on trial suspected of killing the girl, to face the death penalty. D4vd, whose birth name is David Anthony Burke, was ordered to stand trial in July over the killing of Rivas.
Celeste's dismembered body was discovered in the front trunk of Burke's Tesla car on 8 September 2025. Burke has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with an individual under 14, and mutilating a body.
In a statement released via their attorney on Monday, which would have been Celeste's 16th birthday, her family demanded Burke be subjected to execution. Prosecutors allege that Burke, 21, stabbed and killed Celeste and subsequently severed her limbs to prevent her from revealing their sexual relationship, which they claim began when he was 18 and she was 13.
Burke's defence has argued there is no evidence he intended to kill Celeste. His high-profile lawyers withdrew from the case in late August and were replaced by a lawyer from the Los Angeles county public defender’s office. Burke has been ordered held without bail, and a trial date is yet to be set.