The criminal case against David Anthony Burke has entered a volatile new phase after surveillance footage of his Tesla surfaced publicly, intensifying scrutiny over who was driving the vehicle weeks before the remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were discovered inside.
The footage, dated July 29, 2025, was released following Burke's arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division and the U.S. Marshals Service in April. Burke, 21, remains in custody without bail and has pleaded not guilty to charges that include first-degree murder and sexual abuse.
Authorities allege Hernandez was killed months earlier, around April 23, 2025, after visiting Burke's residence in the Hollywood Hills. Prosecutors say she was "never heard from again" after that date, placing Burke at the center of a timeline that now stretches across months of investigative gaps.
The case escalated in September 2025, when Hernandez's decomposed remains were found inside Burke's abandoned black Tesla at a Hollywood impound lot. Medical examiners determined she had been stabbed multiple times before being placed into cadaver bags.
The newly released video, obtained by private investigator Steve Fischer, shows the Tesla in motion with its window partially open. Fischer, who was hired to examine whether Burke's residence was connected to the crime, said he had identified the driver.
"I'm certain I know who it is," Fischer told KTLA. "I can't say, but there is surveillance from the 29th and I'm certain I know who this person is."
In a separate post accompanying the footage, Fischer described the driver as "lighter skinned, with long hair, wearing a red jersey," a characterization that has triggered widespread online speculation but no confirmed law enforcement conclusions.
The emergence of the footage has complicated the narrative presented in court documents. According to reporting cited in the case record, prosecutors maintain that Burke was the last known individual to operate the vehicle, though it remains unclear whether that assertion refers to the same footage now circulating publicly.
Online communities have attempted to match the driver's appearance to individuals connected to Burke, including acquaintances who have previously drawn attention in the investigation. However, no official statements from law enforcement have confirmed additional suspects or arrests linked to the video.
The legal case itself remains anchored in prosecutors' broader allegations. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Burke allegedly acted after Hernandez threatened to expose their relationship. Prosecutors further allege the two met when the victim was 11 and that abuse began years later, claims supported, they say, by digital evidence recovered during the investigation.
Burke's defense has rejected the allegations outright. His legal counsel stated, "the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez."
