Players are asking Epic Games to make the removal of his music and other collaboration items permanent and not optional.
Epic Games has broken its silence on the growing controversy surrounding D4vd cosmetics in Fortnite, confirming that players can now request refunds while broader changes are being prepared.
The update, shared via the official Fortnite Status account on Sunday (26 April), follows sustained calls from players to remove D4vd-themed items from the game. Epic acknowledged the backlash and outlined the first step in its response:
“We hear the concerns. We have a bunch of changes we’re rolling out over time. The first one will be available on Tuesday April 28, when anyone who purchased one of these items will be able to get an immediate self-service refund. And, right now, players who request refunds for D4vd cosmetics via player support can be refunded.”
The move comes after serious criminal charges were brought against D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke. The 21-year-old has been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, with authorities alleging the incident took place on or around 23 April, 2025 at his Hollywood Hills home, after she threatened to report their relationship. Prosecutors also allege a period of abuse between September 2023 and September 2024, when she was under 14. Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Why are Fortnite players asking for D4vd cosmetics to be removed?
Calls for removal began circulating across the community as details of the case emerged, with some players stating they no longer wanted the items associated with their accounts. Others have gone further, asking Epic Games to remove everything about him completely and not make it optional, including his music, and cosmetics obtained through non-purchase methods, such as tournament rewards.
Full list of D4vd Fortnite items
The D4vd cosmetics currently in Fortnite include a mix of emotes and Jam Tracks released across multiple seasons:
- Feel It (Emote)
Release date: 2024, Fortnite Chapter 5, Season 3
Cost: 500 V-Bucks - What Are You Waiting For (Jam Track)
Release date: 2025, Fortnite Chapter 6, Season 3
Cost: 500 V-Bucks - Locked & Loaded (Jam Track)
Release date: 2025, Fortnite Chapter 6, Season 4
Cost: 500 V-Bucks
Some players obtained these items through a bundled offer in the Fortnite Item Shop. At the time of writing, it remains unclear whether D4vd’s Locker Bundle is being fully refunded, as it also included cosmetics not tied to the artist, such as the Camille skin.
Epic Games has since indicated that refunds apply to any D4vd cosmetic that has been purchased, though further clarification on bundled content has not been detailed.
How do Fortnite players get a refund for D4vd items?
Players who own D4vd cosmetics can already request refunds through Epic Games player support. From 28 April, a self-service refund option will be introduced, allowing players to process eligible refunds instantly without submitting a ticket.
The cosmetics affected include the Feel It and Trophy Drop emotes, along with the What Are You Waiting For and Locked and Loaded Jam Tracks, all of which have been at the centre of player concerns.
Timeline of events in the D4vd case
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 13-year-old from Lake Elsinore, was last seen on 5 April 2024 after reportedly being on her way to watch a film with David Anthony Burke. Her family later confirmed she knew the singer, with relatives stating they were aware of their connection.
On 5 August 2025, Burke began his Withered tour in Del Mar as his music career continued to expand. In September 2025, he released Locked & Loaded, which became the first official Fortnite anthem, serving as the headline track for the 2025 Fortnite Global Championship (FNCS) held in Lyon, France.
Between late August and early September 2025, a 2023 Tesla Model Y linked to Burke was impounded after being abandoned in a Hollywood Hills neighbourhood. On 8 September 2025, tow yard workers reported a strong odour from the vehicle, and police discovered decomposed human remains in the front trunk, including a head, torso and dismembered body parts. A death investigation was launched, while Burke performed in Minneapolis that same night as part of his tour.
On 16 September 2025, forensic testing identified the remains as those of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. She had been found a day after what would have been her 15th birthday. In the days that followed, authorities searched a Hollywood Hills rental property linked to Burke, and his remaining tour dates were cancelled on 19 September. A vigil was held in Lake Elsinore on 21 September, and her family later received custody of her remains on 24 September.
In November 2025, Burke was formally named as a suspect in the investigation. Law enforcement sources indicated the death likely occurred in spring 2025 and suggested possible involvement in the disposal of the body. A court later sealed key details of the case, including cause and manner of death.
In February 2026, the case became public after grand jury proceedings surfaced when Burke’s family attempted to block subpoenas in Texas. Around this time, controversy also began building within Fortnite’s community over D4vd-themed cosmetics, with players calling for their removal.
On 16 April 2026, Burke was arrested on a probable cause warrant and held without bail. He was formally charged on 20 April with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors alleged he killed Hernandez after she threatened to expose their relationship. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
On 21 April 2026, Hernandez’s family issued a public statement calling for justice. The following day, the Medical Examiner confirmed she died from multiple penetrating injuries. On 23 April 2026, prosecutors told the court they had recovered 40 terabytes of digital evidence, including what they described as a “significant amount” of child sexual abuse material.
On 26 April 2026, Epic Games confirmed it would begin issuing refunds for D4vd cosmetics in Fortnite, with a self-service system also planned for rollout, following ongoing player requests and support ticket submissions.
A preliminary evidentiary hearing is scheduled for 1 May 2026.
The charges include special circumstances such as lying in wait and murdering a witness, which could carry the death penalty, although prosecutors have not confirmed whether they will seek it.
D4vd’s music career and Fortnite collaboration
D4vd, pronounced “David”, rose to prominence in 2022 after his track Romantic Homicide went viral on TikTok, peaking at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. He later signed with Darkroom and Interscope Records, releasing Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals in 2023.
In 2024, his song "Feel It" (from the Invincible soundtrack) was also added as an emote in Fortnite, and included in a special d4vd Locker Bundle in August 2024.
His debut album, Withered, was released just two days after authorities said Rivas Hernandez was last known to be alive. The Associated Press confirmed he was dropped by Interscope last year.
In 2025, d4vd released "Locked & Loaded" as the first-ever official Fortnite anthem in September 2025. While not specifically for the game's anniversary, it was the headline track for the 2025 Fortnite Global Championship (FNCS) held in Lyon, France.
Despite the investigation, Burke continued his North American tour following the discovery of the body, but later cancelled the final two shows, along with a planned European tour, as reports of his alleged involvement spread.
Epic Games has yet to confirm whether D4vd cosmetics will be removed entirely, with additional changes still to come.
