A pivotal preliminary hearing is set to commence on July 21, where a Los Angeles judge will meticulously examine the evidence presented by prosecutors to determine if there is sufficient cause to advance the murder case against singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, to a full trial. The proceedings are slated to last three days, marking a critical juncture three months after the 21-year-old artist’s arrest. D4vd faces grave charges, including one count each of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains, in connection with the alleged murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Her decomposed and dismembered remains were discovered in his vehicle last September. The preliminary hearing is not intended to ascertain guilt or innocence, but rather to establish probable cause for the prosecution’s allegations. D4vd has maintained his plea of not guilty, and his legal team has vehemently denied all accusations.
Defense Denies Allegations, Vows to Prove Innocence
Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter, representing David Burke, issued a strong statement in April following his arrest and charging. "The actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death," the legal team stated. "We will vigorously defend David’s innocence." This assertion underscores the defense’s commitment to challenging the prosecution’s narrative and presenting an alternative account of events. The legal strategy will likely focus on discrediting the evidence or establishing reasonable doubt regarding Burke’s direct involvement in Rivas Hernandez’s death.
Prosecution’s Roadmap of Evidence: A Timeline of Alleged Abuse and Murder
In April, prosecutors submitted a comprehensive brief outlining the "roadmap of evidence" they intend to present during the preliminary hearing. This document, made public through Courthouse News Service, details a complex and disturbing timeline of the alleged relationship between D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez. According to the prosecution’s filing, the two first met in January 2022. Their relationship reportedly evolved into a sexual one in November 2023, at which point Rivas Hernandez was 13 years old and Burke was 18. Rivas Hernandez was officially reported missing in April 2024.
The brief asserts that throughout 2024, Rivas Hernandez spent a substantial amount of time with Burke, including weekends at his Hollywood Hills residence and travels to Las Vegas, London, and Texas to meet his family. Text message exchanges between the two allegedly contain references to sexual activity, pregnancy, abortion, and the use of emergency contraception. Crucially, prosecutors claim that explicit photographs exist, documenting and corroborating their sexual relationship, which they contend began when Rivas Hernandez was a minor.
Escalating Conflict and Alleged Murder
The prosecution’s account further details that D4vd and Rivas Hernandez reportedly ended their romantic relationship in November 2024. However, the brief alleges that they continued to communicate, with text messages suggesting ongoing sexual relations. The situation allegedly escalated on April 22, 2025, when the pair reportedly engaged in a heated argument. The content of these text messages, as described in the brief, reveals Rivas Hernandez’s alleged jealousy over Burke’s relationships with other women, stemming from his perceived promises of a future together. Her purported threats to expose damaging information about their relationship to end his career and "destroy his life" are central to the prosecution’s motive.
The following day, April 23, 2025, is presented by prosecutors as the likely date of Rivas Hernandez’s death. The brief alleges that D4vd sent an Uber to transport her from her home in Lake Elsinore to his Hollywood Hills residence. The prosecution contends that Burke, "knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened," proceeded to stab her to death multiple times shortly after her arrival. The brief graphically describes Burke allegedly standing by as she bled out.
Dismemberment and Disposal: A Detailed Account of Alleged Cover-Up
Following the alleged murder, prosecutors claim D4vd embarked on a meticulous and horrifying effort to conceal his crime. He is alleged to have driven to Santa Barbara County to dispose of Rivas Hernandez’s property and destroy evidence. The prosecution highlights text messages sent by Burke to Rivas Hernandez on the evening of April 23 and the morning of April 24, inquiring about her whereabouts. These messages, the brief argues, were part of a "premeditated plan to cover up the murder," sent after she was already deceased.
The brief further alleges that on April 24, 2025, D4vd, using a false name, ordered a shovel. This was allegedly followed by the purchase of two chainsaws on May 1, 2025, along with a "body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, and a blue inflatable pool." Prosecutors claim he made additional trips to Santa Barbara County later in May and, on July 7, 2025, ordered a "burn cage" to "incinerate evidence."
The prosecution’s account becomes even more disturbing as it details the alleged methods used to dismember and discard Rivas Hernandez’s body. The brief states that Burke placed her body in the inflatable pool to contain blood before using a chainsaw and other tools to cut off her limbs. A particularly chilling allegation is that he amputated her left ring and pinky fingers because her ring finger bore a tattoo of his name. These severed fingers have reportedly not been located. The brief continues, detailing how Burke allegedly placed her head and torso into the purchased cadaver bag and her limbs into a garbage bag, which was then placed in his car’s front trunk. Prosecutors claim the victim’s body remained in his Tesla for weeks, or possibly months, to decompose.
Discovery of Remains and Subsequent Arrest
Surveillance footage reportedly shows D4vd driving his Tesla on July 29, 2025, parking the vehicle on a street near his home before departing for his tour, which commenced in Del Mar on August 5. The vehicle was towed in early September. On September 8, the tow-yard manager contacted the Los Angeles Police Department after detecting a "strong smell of decay and presence of flies coming from the vehicle." Upon investigation, detectives discovered a dismembered body in the car. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Department identified the remains on September 16 as those of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. In a December death investigation summary, the medical examiner officially ruled her cause of death as "multiple penetrating injuries" and the manner of death as homicide.
Following the discovery, police served a search warrant at D4vd’s residence on September 17. Around this time, the remainder of his U.S. tour was canceled. David Anthony Burke was arrested on April 16, 2026, and formally charged four days later.
Background on D4vd and the Victim
David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, was born in Queens, New York, and later moved to Houston, Texas, at the age of 13. His initial foray into online fame began as a streamer, playing video games like Fortnite with aspirations of viral success on YouTube. Challenges with copyright infringement related to music in his videos in 2021 led him to explore music creation. He reportedly downloaded a music-making app on his phone and began producing his own tracks. His original music gained significant traction on TikTok, propelling his music career forward. By April 2025, he had released his debut album, Withered, and subsequently embarked on his first world tour.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was reported missing on April 5, 2024. At the time of her disappearance, she was 13 years old, and officials believe she died at the age of 14. Her manner of death was officially classified as homicide in April 2026, with the cause being "multiple penetrating injuries" to her chest and abdomen, including a liver injury, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s report. While her death was pronounced on September 8, 2025, the day her body was discovered, her remains were severely decomposed, indicating they had been in the car for an extended period.
Legal Ramifications and Broader Impact
The charges brought against D4vd are exceptionally severe. The criminal complaint includes special circumstance allegations of murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait. Furthermore, a special allegation asserts that he personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon, a sharp instrument, in the commission of the crime. The inclusion of charges related to continuous sexual abuse of a child underscores the prosecution’s narrative of a predatory relationship.
The case raises profound questions about the intersection of fame, youth, and alleged criminal behavior. The preliminary hearing will be closely watched by the music industry and the public alike, as it will set the stage for a potential trial that could have significant implications for D4vd’s career and future. The prosecution, led by District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman, has vowed to seek justice for Celeste Rivas Hernandez and her loved ones, emphasizing the horrific nature of the alleged crimes committed against a minor. The defense, meanwhile, remains steadfast in its commitment to proving David Burke’s innocence. The outcome of the preliminary hearing will be a crucial determinant in the path forward for this deeply disturbing case.
