[Sportschosun Kim Sohee reporter] As American singer-songwriter d4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke (D4vd), faces trial on charges including the murder of a minor, text messages discussing pregnancy and abortion when the victim was 13 were revealed in court, causing shock.
According to U.S. media outlets including ABC and Fox News on the 26th local time, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in California submitted text messages exchanged between d4vd and the victim, Celeste Rivas, as key evidence during a recent preliminary hearing.
The prosecution said it recovered deleted data from d4vd's smartphone and secured conversations and related photos showing the two discussing sex, pregnancy, and abortion.
The released messages show the two discussing the possibility of pregnancy in January 2024. According to prosecutors, d4vd mentioned an abortion procedure and asked, "When are you going to do it?" and "Is it my child?" The victim was 13 at the time. She later reportedly sent messages that appeared to express regret over the abortion.
d4vd is accused of murdering Celeste Rivas, who was 14 at the time, on April 23, 2025, and of mutilating her body on May 5 of the same year.
The case came to light last September after a report that a foul odor was coming from a vehicle stored at a tow yard in Los Angeles. Police who responded found a severely decomposed body in the trunk. The body was later identified as Rivas, who had been reported missing in April 2024.
Her body had been divided into two bags and left inside the vehicle for an extended period, resulting in severe damage and decomposition. Local media reported that the condition of the remains was so bad that even the coroner had difficulty determining the exact cause and manner of death.
The investigation intensified after the vehicle, which had been towed from a Hollywood residential area, was confirmed to belong to d4vd. Investigators determined that Rivas had visited d4vd's Hollywood home on the day she disappeared and then vanished.
Authorities believe the crime was rooted in sexual abuse of a minor. Police said they had secured evidence of an inappropriate relationship between d4vd and Rivas, while prosecutors alleged that the abuse continued from September 7, 2023, when the victim was 13, until September 7, 2024. They also believe d4vd committed the crime to protect his career after the victim tried to expose the abuse.
d4vd denies all charges and has pleaded not guilty. He requested bail, but the court rejected it, citing the seriousness of the case. His side argued, "The actual evidence will show that d4vd did not kill the girl and had nothing to do with her death."
Meanwhile, d4vd began his music career after creating original background music while working as a Fortnite streamer and YouTuber. He gained attention by posting his own songs on TikTok and quickly rose to global stardom with music that blended indie rock, R&B, and lo-fi pop, earning strong support from Gen Z. He became widely loved for hits such as "Romantic Homicide," "Here With Me," and "Sleep Well," but all scheduled tours and album activities have now been suspended because of the case.
Kim Sohee, reporter yaqqol@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
