Singer D4vd Pleads Not Guilty to Murder and Sexual Abuse of 14-Year-Old

Preliminary Hearing and Not Guilty Plea at Los Angeles Court

The preliminary hearing for David Anthony Burke, professionally recognized as the singer D4vd, commenced at a Los Angeles court to allow a judge to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to a full trial, as Cnews reported. The defendant entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of murder, repeated sexual abuse against a child under 14, and the unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors confirmed they will seek the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if the artist is convicted on the aggravated charges, according to Generations – Hip Hop Soul Radio. Wearing an orange detention jumpsuit during court appearances, the musician faced detailed presentations of evidence from state prosecutors led by Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, as noted by 20min.ch and 24heures.ch.

While prosecutors laid out extensive forensic and digital evidence in the courtroom, the defendant remained largely expressionless, resting his chin on his hand at times during the testimony, as observed by Vanity Fair.

Forensic Evidence, Garage Tests, and the Tesla Discovery

The investigation centers on the grim discovery made on September 8, 2025. Los Angeles Police Department and county sheriff investigators found the decomposed and dismembered remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez inside a Tesla registered to Burke while the vehicle sat in an impound lot in Hollywood, according to Cnews and 24heures.ch. Testifying before the court, LAPD inspector Joshua Byers described arriving at the impound yard to find a partial body bag containing a dismembered torso and head, with multiple missing limbs alongside a trash bag tucked underneath containing arms and legs, while the front trunk area was overrun with maggots and viscous liquid, as reported by Vanity Fair.

During the second day of the preliminary hearing, a forensic expert from the LAPD detailed chemical testing inside the garage of the Hollywood Hills rental home where Burke lived. Rubber mats bearing several cuts reacted positively to Bluestar tests used for detecting hidden bloodstains, and suspicious marks appeared near a Tesla charger, a rowing machine, a garbage bag, and a tarp, pointing investigators toward a potential cleanup operation, as outlined by Generations – Hip Hop Soul Radio. Prosecutors stated that the accused placed the victim’s body inside a blue inflatable pool within the garage to prevent blood from spilling onto the floor before using a chainsaw to sever her limbs, according to judicial documents cited by 24heures.ch.

Investigators also recovered online purchase records showing the defendant used multiple false identities—including the name Victoria Martinez—to acquire items such as chainsaws, an inflatable pool, a shovel, a fire-retardant mat, and a combustion chamber, according to Cnews. Prosecutors added that a Makita chainsaw ordered through Postmates in May 2025 was never physically recovered by authorities, though the defense strongly disputed that account, as noted by Generations – Hip Hop Soul Radio.

Singer D4vd Faces Preliminary Hearing for Murder of 14-Year-Old Girl

Text Messages, Strained Relations, and the Prosecution Timeline

The state’s timeline outlines a relationship that began when the victim was 11 years old. Text message exchanges presented in court from between 2023 and 2024 revealed discussions of a pregnancy, an abortion procedure, and the use of the morning-after pill, with an LAPD investigator testifying that the singer apologized to the young girl in January 2024 for putting her in that situation, as reported by Cnews and 24heures.ch.

As tensions grew over the secrecy of their relationship and difficulties in deciding their next steps, prosecutors stated that Celeste Rivas Hernandez threatened to expose their illegal affair, which could have derailed the musician’s emerging career, as detailed by Cnews. The victim was last seen alive on April 23, 2025—two days prior to the release of the artist’s debut album, Withered—after the singer arranged an Uber to bring her to his Hollywood Hills rental house, according to Cnews. Judicial documents state that during a dispute at the home, the defendant stabbed the victim multiple times and watched her bleed to death before proceeding to dispose of the body, as reported by 24heures.ch.

Digital Evidence and Courtroom Disclosures

In addition to physical and forensic findings, prosecutors introduced evidence retrieved from the artist’s iPhone. Deputy District Attorney Silverman told the court that the device contained a significant amount of child pornography, though the prosecutor did not specify whether the digital files involved images or videos exclusively of the victim or other children, according to 20min.ch. The defense declined to comment on the digital evidence outside the courtroom.

Photographs shown during the hearings displayed specific physical details, including the victim’s severed right index finger bearing a cursive tattoo with the word Shhhh and matching ink found on the defendant’s finger, alongside evidence that the singer had severed fingers carrying tattoos of the name Celeste to match his own red-inked tattoo of her name on his left ring finger, as reported by Cnews and Vanity Fair. The victim’s parents attended the proceedings, expressing through statements that they remember their daughter as a strong and beautiful girl who loved singing and dancing, while awaiting justice, according to Cnews.