Celeste Rivas Hernandez died from multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s), and the Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide in a report released Wednesday. The report said investigators found two penetrating wounds on her torso, including one that injured her liver.
The findings give the clearest public account yet of how Hernandez died after she was found dismembered in a Tesla belonging to musician D4vd last year. The report also showed presumptive positives for benzodiazepines and methamphetamine/MDMA in her system, adding another layer to a case that has already drawn intense scrutiny.
Dr. Odey Ukpo said he was grateful the information could now be released to the public and to the family after several months of waiting, calling it unfathomable that they had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter. He also said the transparency of the findings is meant to help the community make informed changes, reduce fear and take informed action, while describing public access to the information as a matter of accountability, social justice and prevention.
The disclosure lands as the criminal case against David Anthony Burke, D4vd’s legal name, moves forward. Burke pleaded not guilty to all charges at his arraignment on Monday and will remain in custody on no bail. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the additional charges include continuous sexual acts, lewd and lascivious sexual acts with an individual under 14 years old, and mutilating the human remains of a body. Hochman has said the evidence will show Burke did not murder Hernandez and was not the cause of her death, while vowing to defend his innocence.
The family responded the day after Burke’s first court appearance with a public statement that described Celeste as a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. They said every Friday night was movie night and that they spent wonderful times together. They added that they loved her very much, that she always told them she loved them, and that they miss her deeply.
The autopsy update answers the central question that had hovered over the case for months: Hernandez was killed, and she was killed by violent trauma. What remains unresolved is how those injuries were inflicted, who inflicted them and how prosecutors will reconcile the medical findings with the broader allegations already hanging over Burke’s case.
