The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez have spoken out afterD4vdwas charged with her murder and her cause of death was revealed.
Last week (April 20), themusician – real nameDavid Anthony Burke –was chargedin Los Angeleswith 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 LosAngeles 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 allchargesand the case is ongoing.
In a statement released toCBS NewsandABC, 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’sofficerannounced yesterday (April 22) that Rivas Hernandez’s death was a homicide, noting that she died from “multiple penetrating injuries” causedby 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, whoseremainswere found severely decomposed in the front boot of a Tesla registered to Burke last September.
The first charge against Burke is first-degree murder withspecial circumstancesof “lying in wait”,while the second is anadditionalspecial circumstance of alleged murder for “financial gain”.Burke is accused of murdering the 14-year-old tomaintainhis 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’sdefenceteam said it believed that the “actual evidence will show that David did not kill Celeste”, andclaimed 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 withLaufey,Damiano DavidandKali Uchis,have been removed from streaming services since his arrest.