D4vd Named 'Target' in Grand Jury Murder Probe — Family subpoenas, gruesome Tesla discovery and an investigative grand jury upend the singer's plans
Why this matters now: The newly unsealed Texas court documents place d4vd at the center of a criminal investigation that is immediately affecting his Texas-based family and the small network of managers, friends and staff tied to his career — a disruption that arrived as the singer’s international touring plans were set to expand. Those close to him are already facing subpoenas and legal fights; the probe’s next procedural moves will determine whether the inquiry stays confidential or moves toward public charges.
D4vd’s family and professional circle are the first to feel the impact
The unsealed petitions seek testimony from the singer’s father, mother and brother — named in court records as Dawud, Colleen and Caleb — who reside in Texas. The family challenged subpoenas that would require them to appear in Los Angeles before a grand jury; their attorney says they are still fighting those appearances and argue their due process rights are being violated. A Texas appeals court denied the family’s petitions on Feb. 9, leaving the subpoenas in force.
Gruesome discovery inside the Tesla and how investigators describe what they found
Investigators who opened the front storage compartment of the singer’s Tesla say they discovered a cadaver bag covered with insects and a strong odor of decay. That search followed a tow-yard worker’s report of a rotting smell and a search warrant executed on Sept. 8. When detectives partially unzipped the primary bag they found a decomposed head and torso; removing it revealed the arms and legs had been severed. A second black bag underneath contained additional dismembered body parts. Court filings identify the victim as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez; her remains were found in the vehicle after it had been towed off a street in Hollywood and the Tesla was parked at a Hollywood tow lot late last year.
How the grand jury and subpoenas unfolded — key dates, names and legal posture
Prosecutors began presenting evidence to an investigative grand jury in November. On Jan. 15, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman issued subpoenas seeking the testimony of Burke family members; a Superior Court judge, Craig Richman, approved those subpoenas. A Texas appeals court footnote references an underlying case styled The People of the State of California v. David Burke pending in the 506th District Court of Waller County, Texas, with Judge Gary W. Chaney presiding — while noting there is no public criminal case with that name and that grand jury proceedings remain confidential.
Witnesses, arrests and the push-pull over charges
Numerous witnesses have been called before the investigative grand jury, including one of the singer’s managers. A friend named Neo Langston was arrested in Montana after ignoring a subpoena and was recently compelled to return to Los Angeles to testify. The court filings describe the musician — David Burke, known professionally as D4vd — as the target of the probe and list the alleged offense as one count of murder. At the same time, law enforcement has publicly declined to label the death a homicide; yet court filings and an LAPD detective’s statement within filings refer to the matter as an investigation into murder. The real question now is how the grand jury will reconcile the closed-file evidence with public prosecutorial steps.
Who is affected and what would confirm the next phase
Here’s the part that matters: the immediate practical effects are on the family members subpoenaed, the manager and friends forced to respond to grand-jury process, and the people tied to the vehicle where the remains were found. Signs that the case is moving beyond confidential grand-jury work would include formal charges or a public indictment, renewed courtroom filings that lift grand-jury secrecy, or additional compelled appearances by witnesses now under subpoena. At present, those procedural signals are the clearest indicators the investigation is escalating.
Attempts were made to contact the singer’s publicist for comment; no response had been received as of the most recent filings.
It’s easy to overlook that a grand jury investigation—especially one described as investigative—operates under confidentiality and does not equate to an indictment. That distinction helps explain why the filings name a target while a public criminal case with that formal title does not appear on the docket.
Recent filings and court actions present a complicated procedural picture that remains in flux; details may evolve as testimony, subpoenas and the grand-jury process continue.
