“Celeste was just a child when David Burke allegedly engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations with her,” Hochman said. “But Burke’s actions did not allegedly stop there. When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her, dismembered her body, and placed the remains in two bags in the front trunk of his car.”
The remains sat in a tow yard for more than four months before being discovered on Sept. 8, 2025. Burke (DOB 3/28/05) is charged in Case No. 26CJCF02399 with one count each of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
The criminal complaint includes special circumstance allegations of murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait. These allegations make Burke eligible for the death penalty. The prosecution also filed a special allegation that Burke personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon—a sharp instrument—to commit the crime.
Arraignment is scheduled for today in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Background and Procedural History
On April 23, 2025, Burke reportedly invited the victim to his Hollywood Hills residence. Celeste R. arrived at the home and was never seen again. On Sept. 8, 2025, her remains were found in the "frunk" of a Tesla registered to Burke. The vehicle had been impounded after being reported abandoned.
If convicted as charged, Burke faces a sentence of death or life in state prison without the possibility of parole. A formal decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date by the District Attorney’s office.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman of the Major Crimes Division. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division continues the investigation.
The Defendant and the Victim
Celeste, a Lake Elsinore resident whose parents immigrated from El Salvador, had been reported missing three times in the year leading up to her death. Investigative reports indicate she met Burke through his official Discord server as early as 2022. Her family previously identified a boyfriend named "David" and noted the two reportedly shared matching tattoos.
Prosecutors allege the homicide was a calculated effort to protect Burke’s career. His debut album, Withered, was released on April 25, 2025—two days after Celeste was last seen at his home. While the victim’s remains sat in the impound lot, Burke continued a North American concert tour, only canceling European dates once the investigation became public.
Lead defense attorney Blair Berk has stated that the evidence will prove Burke did not cause the death, suggesting the defense may pursue a theory involving a different perpetrator or an alternative cause of death.
The case has drawn widespread attention across the United States and beyond, given Burke’s rapid rise in the music industry following viral success on social media and major festival performances.
Sources: DPN, da.lacounty.gov, Staff, AI, April 21, 2026
"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
— Oscar Wilde
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