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Human: Not Guilty — “I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means”
What the Plea Actually Signals in a Criminal Case
According to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, musician D4vd was charged on April 20, 2026, with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The felony complaint also charges him with sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, alleging lewd and lascivious acts on more than one occasion.
A third count alleges unlawful mutilation of human remains.
He was arrested on April 16, 2026, in the Hollywood Hills following a seven-month investigation that began after Celeste’s remains were discovered in September of the previous year inside the trunk of a Tesla registered under the singer’s birth name, David Anthony Burke.
The Monday following his Thursday arrest, he was brought before a judge for an initial hearing, where prosecutors formally filed charges. However, an arrest and the filing of charges do not mean a person is guilty. Arrests occur when investigators believe they have enough evidence—known as probable cause—to take someone into custody.
His attorneys requested a preliminary hearing within 10 days, which requires prosecutors to present sufficient evidence within a set timeframe or risk limitations on how the case proceeds.
When asked how they plead, defendants typically respond “guilty,” “not guilty,” or “no contest,” with each response carrying different legal consequences.
He pleaded not guilty, which is the most common plea early in a case. It means the prosecution must present evidence and prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
If he had pleaded guilty, the case would move directly to sentencing without a trial.
He is currently being held at LAPD’s 77th Street Station jail without bail, and the case will now move forward through the legal process, where the charges must be tested in court, not assumed.
