Singer David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, had his Apple Music account hacked over the weekend of July 26, 2026, resulting in the upload of fake songs that appeared to confess to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez while Burke remains in custody in Los Angeles.
The digital breach occurred as the 21-year-old musician faces a high-profile preliminary hearing for first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of human remains. A track titled I Did It…
surfaced on his verified profile, featuring lyrics that referenced the victim by name and a vocal style that closely mimicked Burke’s own. Because Burke is currently held in Los Angeles County Jail without bail, he has no means of recording or releasing new music, confirming the upload was a hoax.
The ‘I Did It’ Hoax and Streaming Vulnerabilities
The fake release was designed for maximum authenticity. Its cover art featured an aerial photo of Burke’s Tesla in the Los Angeles tow yard where investigators discovered Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered remains in September 2025. The lyrics were particularly disturbing, describing the victim as the girl with my name tattooed on her chest
and claiming her scent lingered on his clothes like cigarettes.
Following the viral success of the first track, two additional songs titled I’m Sorry, I Love You, Celeste
and I’ll See You in Hell, Celeste
appeared as part of a project called I Confess, Celeste
. While TMZ reported the account had been compromised and the audio was eventually removed, the title and artwork remained visible for a period, fueling social media speculation on TikTok, X, and Reddit.
This incident underscores a systemic issue within the music industry’s digital distribution. According to the BBC, bad actors exploit automated metadata loopholes to submit music under existing artists’ names. The scale of this problem is significant; Sony Music previously requested the removal of over 135,000 impersonation tracks, while Spotify reported removing more than 75 million spammy tracks
over a 12-month period ending last September.
Prosecutorial Evidence in the Celeste Rivas Case
The timing of the hack coincided with a grueling week of testimony in Los Angeles. On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, prosecutors presented evidence they claim connects Burke to the killing, including photos of the victim’s dismembered body. During the presentation of these images, Burke was observed covering his face and looking away.
- Forensic Findings: Medical Examiner Dr. Grant Ho testified that the victim was likely stabbed twice—once in the chest and once in the abdomen—before being dismembered, allegedly with a chainsaw. Blood found at Burke’s Hollywood Hills home was deemed highly likely to belong to the victim.
- Digital and Physical Evidence: Prosecutors introduced iCloud data containing sexually explicit images and text messages between Burke and Rivas Hernandez dating back to August 2022, when she was 11 and he was 17. Additionally, LAPD recovered unopened plane tickets in an Amazon box at his residence for travel to Texas and London.
- Physical Markers: The court heard that Burke has
Celeste
tattooed on one of his fingers, while prosecutors allege the victim had his name tattooed on hers.
Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His defense team has challenged the prosecution’s forensic evidence, and the preliminary hearing must determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to a full trial.
Legal Stakes and Public Interest
The intersection of a brutal criminal case and a high-profile music career has created a volatile environment for the defense. The fake confession, while not admissible as evidence, creates a narrative of guilt in the court of public opinion that the defense must now manage.
Shapiro, who is not involved in the case, noted that the hack adds negative energy
to a situation that has already been bad enough in the preliminary hearing
. The incident highlights a new risk for defendants in the digital age: the ability for third parties to manufacture “confessions” via AI-mimicked vocals and hacked official channels, potentially influencing the public perception of a case before it ever reaches a jury.
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