Celeste Rivas’s family says it would support the death penalty for singer D4vd if he is convicted of murdering the teenager.
The 21-year-old artist, whose legal name is David Burke, is due to stand trial in connection with the April 2025 killing of the 14-year-old girl.
In a statement to the New York Post, her relatives said: “If the death penalty were activated, it would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience, who only caused pain to our daughter, our family, and the world that supports our precious daughter.”
“But that’s not in our hands, but rather in God’s, and the California justice system,” the family added.
Any decision on whether prosecutors seek capital punishment would rest with Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
Rivas’s dismembered remains were found nearly one year ago.
Celeste Rivas’s family says it supports the death penalty for singer D4vd if he is convicted of her murder; he is pictured in August 2024
The 21-year-old singer, whose real name is David Burke, is expected to face trial over the April 2025 killing of the 14-year-old girl, pictured
D4vd has pleaded not guilty to Rivas’s murder, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death.
The music artist’s attorneys withdrew from his case last week.
Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter told the judge overseeing the trial that they could no longer represent the singer.
‘This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel,’ they said in a statement to TMZ.
‘We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges,’ the lawyers continued.
‘We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him.’
In a statement to the LA Times, LA County Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel said: ‘We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our sympathies to those who are grieving.
‘At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence. We are committed to providing him with that defense.’
Rivas’s dismembered remains were discovered almost exactly one year ago
The decision of whether to implement the death penalty will be made by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman; D4vd pictured on April 2025, days before Riivas’s brutal murder
TMZ reported earlier this year that the examiner had difficulty determining Rivas’s exact cause of death due to her body’s late stage of decomposition
TMZ reported earlier this year that the examiner had difficulty determining Rivas’s cause of death due to her body’s late stage of decomposition.
Police say the vehicle where her remains were found in a tow yard was registered to D4vd’s address in Texas.
The star was named a suspect in the killing in November 2025, and arrested in April 2026.
Based on testimony from her friends and family, it is believed Rivas was in a romantic relationship with him at the time of her death.
The victim’s family said she was last seen in spring 2024, when she left her Lake Elsinore home at age 13. They noted that it was not the first time she had run away.
Law enforcement discovered her body in the trunk of the impounded vehicle after reports of an offensive odor.
Prosecutors alleged in a July 2026 news release that the musician murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025 ‘because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career.’
