Singer D4vd has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges in the killing of teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The 21-year-old singer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, made his first court appearance on Monday, April 20, hours after the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced that he would be charged with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
The special circumstances included in the first-degree murder charge include "lying in wait, committing this crime for financial gain or murdering a witness in an investigation," LA County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said during a press conference.
The murder charge, including the special circumstances, carries a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole and the death penalty. Hochman said that a determination about the death penalty will be made at a later time.
In an April 20 statement to USA TODAY ahead of his arraignment, Burke's attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter maintained the singer's innocence.
