Shocking Text Messages Revealed in D4vd Trial: Conversations on Pregnancy, Abortion, and Escape Plans

During the trial of U.S. singer D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke, 21), who is accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl, 18 months of text message records exchanged between the two have been made public, drawing significant attention.

At a preliminary hearing held on Monday (local time), the prosecutor presented text messages exchanged between D4vd and the victim, Celeste Rivas (who was 15 at the time of her death), from August 2022 to April 2025. According to the prosecution, when they first made contact, the victim was 11 years old and D4vd was 17 years old. Full-scale message exchanges reportedly began in November 2023 when Celeste turned 13.

In the early text messages, the two discussed pregnancy-related matters, and the evidence included circumstances where D4vd advised the victim to take emergency contraception. In particular, conversations starting in January 2024 progressed to topics involving tattoos, pregnancy, and abortion.

In the messages released by the prosecution, D4vd apologized to Celeste for "making her go through this" and inquired about the scheduling of the procedure. Afterward, D4vd reportedly sent messages to the effect of, "You are much stronger than me, I love you."

Later that year, the victim left her parents' home. Just before doing so, Celeste and D4vd reportedly formulated an operational plan, discussing packing bags and coordinating transportation. Investigators testified that Celeste's family filed a missing person report on the same day.

However, the relationship between the two reportedly began to shake toward the end of that year. Notably, Celeste sent a message to D4vd in March 2025 expressing that she wanted more than a relationship, and they subsequently experienced friction regarding acquaintances of D4vd. Even amid this, the two promised to meet on April 23, 2025, and Celeste sent a text stating that she had arrived at his Hollywood Hills home after taking an Uber called by D4vd. However, according to Uber records, about 20 minutes after Celeste's arrival, D4vd was confirmed to have sent messages repeatedly asking for her location.

Meanwhile, D4vd still maintains his innocence. Defense counsel Blair Burke argued during cross-examination that Celeste had lied about her age online being older than it actually was, and that there were also messages in which she threatened to kill D4vd, ruin his career, and expose his private life, claiming that Celeste was the first to request the meeting on April 23.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the prosecution also disclosed a list of evidence not yet secured. According to the prosecution, the whereabouts of a part of the body—known to have D4vd's name tattooed on it—still remain unverified. In addition, mobile phones belonging to both parties, Celeste's wallet, and security camera footage recorded at D4vd's Hollywood Hills home around the estimated time of the murder have not yet been secured by investigative authorities.

Previously, the prosecution continued its investigation after a bag containing Celeste's body was discovered in D4vd's Tesla vehicle in September 2025, and announced his arrest on murder charges on April 16, 2026. He was subsequently formally indicted on April 20 of the same year on charges of one count of murder, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and one count of desecration of a corpse.

At the time the body was discovered, D4vd had been fulfilling tour schedules in the U.S., Europe, and the UK, but he completely canceled them. D4vd built global recognition by scoring hits like "Romantic Homicide" and "Here With Me" based on TikTok, and also gained familiarity among K-pop fans by releasing a collaboration song "Always Love" with Hyunjin of the group Stray Kids in June 2025.

 

(Photo: SBS Entertainment News | Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.