Family of killed teen call for death penalty in D4vd trial

The family of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has lobbied for the death penalty if D4vd is found guilty murdering their daughter.

D4vd, who was born David Anthony Burke, is charged with killing the teenager, whose dismembered body was found in the trunk of a Tesla car registered to his address on 8 September 2025. Burke has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The death penalty is under a temporary ban in California, where Burke is due to stand trial, but in a statement Hernandez' family said execution "would be perfect" if the singer was convicted of murder.

In a related development, Hernandez's parents filed a civil lawsuit against Burke on Friday, seeking monetary damages including burial and funeral expenses.

The lawsuit, lodged at Los Angeles Superior Court and reported by multiple , external US media outlets , external , makes similar claims to those raised by prosecutors in the criminal case against the singer.

Mercedes Martinez and Jesus Rivas allege that Burke caused the wrongful death, false imprisonment and childhood sexual assault of their daughter.

In the court documents, they say Burke and Hernandez first met in November 2023, when she was 13 years old.

Over the next 16 months, they claim, the pair would exchange almost 10,000 texts and have sex several times.

"At all relevant times Burke was an adult who occupied a position of authority over decedent, a minor, and was able to and did exercise undue influence and control over her," the parents say, in papers filed last Friday.

They go on to claim that Burke killed the teenager at his Hollywood Hills home, when she threatened to reveal their relationship, after allegedly sending a message that read: "I will end ur career and ur life".

In addition to Burke, the lawsuit names several of Burke's companies and managers, his mother and a live-in security guard.

Hernandez's parents allege that these people "enabled Burke to isolate" Rivas Hernandez and facilitated his travel, housing and security.

Burke's management company Mogul Vision and finance manager have previously denied knowing about Burke and Rivas Hernandez, the Los Angeles Times , external reported.

In July, a judge found enough probable cause for Burke to stand trial on the murder charge in the criminal case. At the time, the district attorney said he was weighing whether to seek the death penalty.

In a statement on Monday, which would have been Hernandez's 16th birthday, her family demanded that Burke be subjected to execution.

"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," read the statement, released via the family's attorney.

Burke again pleaded not guilty to the charges last week and has since parted ways with his celebrity defence attorney . He is now being represented by a public defender and is due back in court on 19 October. His trial has been moved to next year.

Deputy public defender Walid Kandeel has said that Burke was "entitled to a defence that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence".

"We are committed to providing him with that defence," he said.

His office did not immediately provide comment on the civil lawsuit.

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