FOLLOW US

Singer-songwriter D4vd stepped into a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday, facing a legal reckoning that could determine whether he stands trial for the murder and sexual abuse of Celeste Rivas Hernandez — a case that has cast a dark shadow over the pop star's rapid rise to fame.

Prosecutors are working to convince the court that enough evidence exists to move forward to trial against the musician, born David Anthony Burke, whose career trajectory now sits frozen beside a courtroom docket rather than a concert stage.

Prosecution Alleges A Cover-Up Turned Deadly

Los Angeles County prosecutors allege Burke stabbed Hernandez to death at his LA residence last April, driven by a desperate need to silence her before she could reveal the sexual nature of their relationship — a secret prosecutors say threatened to derail his ascending music career. Court documents allege the abuse began in November 2023, when Burke was 18 and Hernandez was just 13.

Body-Camera Footage Contradicts Later Claims

On Tuesday, prosecutors played body-camera video capturing Burke's own words to sheriff's deputies investigating a missing person's report, where he claimed he'd met the then-13-year-old only once and had no idea of her true age.

"She told me she was 18," Burke said in the February 2024 footage. "Everybody's telling me she was 13" — a statement prosecutors are using to paint a picture that stands in stark contrast to the evidence they say tells a very different story.

Disturbing Discovery In A Hollywood Tow Yard

The courtroom also saw photographs of Rivas Hernandez's dismembered and decomposing remains, discovered on September 8, 2025, by a homicide detective inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke at a Hollywood tow yard — a discovery that transformed a missing person's case into a homicide investigation almost overnight.

Detective Joshua Byers of the Los Angeles Police Department testified that he found the victim's head and torso inside a body bag, with her arms and legs stored in a garbage bag underneath. He noted that two fingers were missing from one of her hands — a detail that would later connect to allegations of deliberate mutilation.

Allegations Of Post-Mortem Mutilation

According to court documents, Burke allegedly went to disturbing lengths after Hernandez's death, using a chainsaw to dismember her body and amputating her ring finger — which bore a tattoo of his name — before discarding her remains inside the Tesla.

A Courtroom Filled With Grief And Scrutiny

Rivas Hernandez's parents sat in the courtroom Tuesday, surrounded by dozens of reporters and members of the public who had secured seats through a lottery system given the intense public interest in the case. After the graphic images were shown, Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman used a recess to check in personally with Celeste's grieving parents — a small human moment amid an otherwise clinical legal proceeding.

A Hearing Years In The Making

The preliminary hearing is expected to run between three and five days, following a string of delays in the case that stemmed largely from the sheer volume of investigatory evidence prosecutors have compiled.

Held Without Bail Since April

Burke, now 21, was arrested in April and has remained in custody without bail ever since. Should he be convicted of murder, he could face either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole — the starkest possible outcomes the justice system can offer.

"When – we do not predict if – when he is convicted, we will then be seeking the sentence that we are allowed to seek by order of the law," Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters outside the courthouse Tuesday. "We will let you know at a future date whether or not that sentence will also include the death penalty."

Defense Maintains His Innocence

At the time of his arrest, Burke's legal team insisted he "was not the cause" of Hernandez's death. He has since pleaded not guilty to all charges filed against him.

Digital Evidence At The Center Of The Case

In an April brief, prosecutors outlined key evidence they intend to present to the court, including text messages between Burke and Hernandez that allegedly document their sexual relationship and reveal the girl threatening to expose him publicly.

The state also indicated plans to present surveillance footage showing Burke driving the Tesla as recently as July 2025, records of his purchase of a body bag and two chainsaws, and forensic evidence linking bloodstains found in his garage to Hernandez's genetic profile — a combination prosecutors argue tells a damning, methodical story.

A Career Interrupted, Then Derailed

Burke built his fame on a wave of viral TikTok singles before launching an international tour last July in support of his debut album, Withered. That tour came to an abrupt halt in September, canceled after Hernandez's body was discovered inside the Tesla registered in his name. Since then, several of Burke's former collaborators have publicly distanced themselves from him.

A Family's Tribute To A Daughter Lost

Following news of Burke's arrest in April, Celeste's family released a statement remembering her life rather than the circumstances of her death.

"Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night and we spent wonderful times together," the family wrote. "We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is justice for Celeste."

As the D4vd murder case hearing continues this week, the courtroom stands as the latest chapter in a story that has moved from viral music charts to the far more sobering territory of a criminal court docket.