A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday that singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as d4vd, must stand trial for first-degree murder and child sexual abuse charges in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were discovered in the trunk of his Tesla in September last year.
Probable Cause Established After Five-Day Preliminary Hearing
Following a five-day preliminary hearing featuring testimony from more than 10 witnesses, Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo determined prosecutors met the legal burden of evidence to move the high-profile case forward. The 21-year-old musician, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
During the proceedings, prosecutors outlined a chilling timeline of the victim’s final hours. According to court evidence, Celeste Rivas Hernandez arrived via an Uber at the artist’s Hollywood Hills home shortly after 10 a.m. on April 23, 2025, sending her final text message to the singer: girly pop i’m almost there open ur door if ur home.
Prosecutors asserted she was stabbed to death when she came through the door, after which her body was dismembered and placed in the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke, where it remained parked around the corner from his house for over four months.
Text Message Evidence, Financial Motive, and Autopsy Findings
The hearing exposed a digital record of text messages between the singer and the teenager. Evidence presented in court revealed that Rivas Hernandez had become pregnant when she was 13 and later received an abortion. In a January 2024 text message exchange obtained from his phone, Burke apologized for putting her through this,
to which she replied that neither of them was capable of raising a baby and that it’s for the best.
As tensions mounted between the two over his career and relationships, Rivas Hernandez sent angry text messages threatening to expose their dynamic, writing that she would tell her father lies about him and i will end ur career and ur life. Prosecutors argued the alleged motive for the killing was tied to protecting a multimillion-dollar record deal valued at $13 million ahead of the release of his debut album, Withered.
Los Angeles County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Grant Ho testified regarding the autopsy, stating that due to severe decomposition, it was impossible to pinpoint an exact time of death.
Defense Scrutiny of Forensics and Next Legal Steps
Throughout the cross-examinations, defense attorneys Marilyn Bednarski and Blair Berk pressed investigators on evidence collection methods.
However, prosecutors pointed to DNA test results showing a high probability of the victim’s blood on items inside the home, alongside plastic pool fragments matching materials used to contain the scene.
Judge Olmedo ordered that Burke continue to be held without bail. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman stated outside the courtroom that prosecutors are still weighing whether to seek the death penalty. An arraignment has been officially scheduled for August 31, where a formal trial date is expected to be set.
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