Musician and Fortnite Collaborator D4vd Charged With First-Degree Murder
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Musician and frequent gaming collaborator D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder by the Los Angeles County District Attorney, following months of investigation into the death of a teenage girl whose remains were found in his vehicle.
The intersection of gaming culture and mainstream music has taken a dark turn following a major update from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. David Burke, the pop artist known professionally as D4vd who built his career creating tracks for Fortnite montages, anime edits, and major streaming collaborations, has been formally charged with first-degree murder in connection to the death of Celeste Rivas. According to reporting by Polygon, authorities filed three charges against the 21-year-old artist, including murder and murdering a witness, following a multi-month investigation into the discovery of Rivas' remains inside a vehicle registered to Burke.
D4vd's rise to fame was closely tied to online creator spaces and gaming fandoms. He frequently collaborated with prominent Twitch streamers, contributed music to Netflix's League of Legends series Arcane, and saw his tracks integrated directly into Epic Games' battle royale as official anthems and in-game cosmetics. Following the initial discovery of the victim's body in late 2025, Epic Games quietly pulled his related jam tracks and emotes from the active item shop rotation, though existing purchases remain in player lockers.
As the legal process moves forward, Burke's defense attorneys stated they are prepared to contest the charges and defend his innocence in court. The case has sent shockwaves through the creator and gaming communities where his music was a staple background track for countless streams and video edits. You can read the original reporting and follow ongoing updates on Polygon.
Tags: Gaming News, Fortnite, Streamers, Industry News, Culture
Original article: Polygon