Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced that musician David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, was charged today with murdering 14-year-old Celeste R., whose body was found decomposed and dismembered in his car that had been impounded in September 2025.
“Celeste was just a child, under 14 years old, when David Burke allegedly engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations with her,” District Attorney Hochman said. “But Burke’s actions did not allegedly stop there. When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her, cut up her body and stuffed her body in two bags that were placed in the front trunk of his car. There the dismembered body sat for over four months decomposing until it was found at a tow yard on Sept. 8, 2025. This horrific and gruesome murder committed by the charged sexual predator is shocking and appalling. To Celeste’s loved ones, we will get the justice you seek and deserve.”Read more...
James Heaps, 69, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and required to register as a sex offender for life after he pleaded guilty today to sexually assaulting five female patients from 2011-2018 while working as an obstetrician-gynecologist at UCLA. Heaps pleaded at a pretrial hearing just two months after a California appeals court overturned his 2023 conviction due to an error by the trial judge.
“Today marks the second time that we’re holding James Heaps responsible for the unconscionable crimes he committed while being entrusted with the safety of his patients,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “For years, Heaps exploited the sacred trust between a doctor and patient to prey on vulnerable victims during medical procedures. This sentence ensures that Heaps will finally be held accountable for the harm he inflicted under the guise of care. To the survivors: I hope today brings you closure knowing that the individual who violated your trust has been definitively brought to justice. To all survivors, please know that we believe you and we will fight for you.”Read more...
A former California Highway Patrol officer and a 27-year-old woman were charged today with four counts of murder for their respective roles in a fiery crash that left four people dead on the 605 Freeway last summer.
“This horrific tragedy could have been avoided if a motorist accused of drunk driving hadn’t gotten behind the wheel and driven over 110 miles per hour and an on-duty CHP officer hadn’t driven over 130 miles per hour and neglected his duty,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “These two defendants are now inextricably linked because they consciously chose to disregard human life over responsibility, leaving four families grieving and irreparably changing the lives of everyone affected by one night of unimaginable trauma.”Read more...
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman today announced the launch of a countywide LA Metro bus advertisement campaign warning everyone that lying or misrepresenting facts to obtain workers’ compensation benefits to which a person is not entitled is a felony.
“Knowingly making a false statement to collect workers’ compensation benefits is textbook fraud, and we are filing charges against anyone who engages in it — employees, medical providers, attorneys or any other participants in the schemes,” District Attorney Hochman said. “If you choose to falsify a claim, exaggerate an injury, or create false medical documentation, you are committing a felony, and my office will prosecute you. In fact, the very buses that soon will carry this message are connected to a recent case in which a Metro bus driver is now charged with staging a fake workplace fall to fraudulently obtain benefits.”Read more...
A 35-year-old woman was charged today for trying to kill musician Rihanna after she fired at semiautomatic rifle at the singer’s Beverly Crest home over the weekend. No one was injured.
“Opening fire in any populated neighborhood is extremely dangerous, puts lives at risk and will be fully prosecuted,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “Thankfully, no one was injured in this shooting, but this careless violence will not be tolerated in our community. Such shooters will find their next destination to be our jails and prisons.”Read more...
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman was joined by Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris, and East West Bank Managing Director of Retail Banking for Southern California, Renee Sun, to urge the public to stay vigilant when withdrawing and depositing money at banks and ATMs ahead of the Lunar New Year.Read more...
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman today outlined the Office’s continued efforts and innovative approach to combat human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, combining tougher felony charging decisions against sexual exploiters/buyers, commonly referred to as ‘johns’ and sex traffickers/pimps as well as providing services from community-based organizations to directly support sex worker victims and survivors.
“Human trafficking is essentially modern-day slavery, and Los Angeles County for far too long has been one of its epicenters,” said District Attorney Hochman. “A year ago, we announced we were going to aggressively prosecute traffickers and pimps – and we did – but there is still a crisis for families in these neighborhoods. Our office is now doing three things at once to go after the demand and supply side of this illegal sex industry: filing felony cases, including conspiracy charges, against the sexual exploiters/buyers who drive demand, aggressively seeking years of prison time against the sex traffickers/pimps, and offering resources and services to sex workers, in an effort to end their exploitation.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman was joined by Jennifer Levi, the mother of 18-year-old Braun Levi, who was killed in a pedestrian-involved collision earlier this year. Levi will speak about the charges filed in the death of her son. Additional speakers include Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park and California State Senator Bob Archuleta.Read more...
