The family of singer D4vd is reportedly contesting subpoenas from a Los Angeles County grand jury as the investigation into the death of Celeste Rivas progresses.
According to the Los Angeles Times, three habeas corpus petitions have been filed in Texas to challenge subpoenas issued to D4vd’s parents, Dawud and Colleen Burke, as well as his brother, Caleb. The singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is at the center of this legal battle.
FOX 11 has reported that the family claims they were denied due process and were not afforded the opportunity to contest the court’s decision that labels them as material witnesses.
On Monday, the 1st District Court of Appeals in Texas rejected all three petitions.
As previously covered by CrimeOnline, the remains of Celeste Rivas were discovered on September 8 in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla. The car was initially parked near his former residence in the Hollywood Hills’ Bird Streets area.
The vehicle was located at a Hollywood tow yard following reports from Hollywood Hills residents, who alerted authorities about an abandoned car with Texas plates on September 6.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Los Angeles police found the Celeste’s remains on September 8, inside the trunk of Burke’s Tesla. The vehicle had initially been parked near his former rental home, in the Hollywood Hills Bird Streets neighborhood, in California.
Police found the vehicle at a tow yard in Hollywood after residents in Hollywood Hills contacted police about an abandoned car with a Texas license plate on September 6.
Celeste’s remains were found a day shy of her 15th birthday.
In November, the prosecution brought the case before a Los Angeles investigative grand jury.
Multiple witnesses have since testified, including Burke’s manager, Robert Morgenrot, who spent three days testifying. Morgenrot has been accused of failing to contact police following Celeste’s death.
Morgenroth reportedly claimed that he had been trying to keep Burke’s tour going and didn’t think it was his obligation.
“She was very pushy on why I didn’t call police,” Morgenroth said outside the court in December, in reference to Beth Silverman, the District Deputy Attorney in Los Angeles County.
“I said I feel like I didn’t have the responsibility to do that, and just wanted to continue with the tour.”
Last month, authorities arrested Burke’s purported associate Neo Langston for failing to appear for a deposition. He later “30 to 40 minutes” in front of Los Angeles the grand jury, TMZ reports.
So far, police have not mad and arrest in the case, but the death is being treated as a homicide. Celeste and Burke were reportedly in a relationship prior to her death.
Meanwhile, the appeals court has been given 10 days for the trial court judge to respond to the family.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Celeste Rivas/GoFundMe and D4vd in 2024/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP]
