Zürcher Nachrichten - D4vd used Amazon chainsaws to hack up teen's body: prosecutors

The internet breakout star killed Celeste Rivas Hernandez because she threatened to reveal their long-standing and illegal sexual relationship, which began when she was just 13, charging papers allege.

He then hacked up her corpse, using a plastic paddling pool to contain the blood, and stuffed it into bags that he left in his car on the streets of the swanky Hollywood Hills neighborhood, before leaving for his music tour around the United States, prosecutors said.

The 21-year-old, whose real name is David Burke, could face a life sentence or the death penalty if convicted of the child's murder. He denies the charge.

A short court appearance in Los Angeles on Wednesday revealed the first full accounting of what detectives believe happened to Celeste, who had been reported missing from her home east of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman filed a brief outlining the evidence she intends to present at any eventual trial.

The document says numerous text messages between Burke and Celeste -- which include references to sex, pregnancy and emergency abortion, as well as explicit photographs -- attest to an on-going sexual relationship between the two that prosecutors believe continued even after they officially broke up in November 2024, two months after Celeste's 14th birthday.

In April last year the teenager, who had seemingly become jealous, told Burke she would expose their relationship -- potentially derailing the imminent release of his first studio album, an event that was expected to kickstart a multi-million dollar career.

"Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out," the document says.

Over the coming weeks, he ordered two chainsaws from Amazon, as well as a body bag, heavy duty laundry bags and an inflatable pool.

"After placing her body into the blue inflatable pool to prevent her blood from spilling onto his garage floor, defendant used a chainsaw and perhaps other tools to cut off her limbs," the document alleges.

"In order to distance himself from the victim, he amputated her left ring and pinky fingers because her ring finger contained a tattoo of his name. Her fingers have not been recovered.

"Defendant then placed her head and torso into the cadaver bag he purchased. He placed her limbs into a garbage bag, which he deposited into his front trunk, laying the cadaver bag on top. For several weeks, or possibly months, defendant left the victim's body to decompose inside his Tesla."

Her body was found in the vehicle after it had been taken to a tow yard, following an official report that it had been abandoned.

Detectives who were called to the yard because of a foul smell emanating from the car discovered Celeste's remains within days of what would have been her 15th birthday.

Burke has denied one count each of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

The singer remains in jail. His case is next expected to be dealt with on May 12.

B.Brunner--NZN