LOS ANGELES — The days-long preliminary hearing in singer D4vd’s murder case is nearing an end as prosecutors on Friday revealed graphic new evidence in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, according to KTLA. D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has been charged with killing and dismembering the 14-year-old, and has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains, as reported by Nbcnews.
Preliminary Hearing Details Relationship and Evidence
Prosecutors are seeking to prove Burke began sexually abusing Rivas Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18, then stabbed her to death when she threatened to reveal their long sexual history and crater his career. Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Farrell displayed hundreds of pictures and texts showing Burke and Hernandez discussing sexual interactions, fears of a pregnancy, and an abortion that supposedly took place in January 2024, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Text Messages Reveal Pregnancy and Abortion Discussions
Text messages between singer D4vd and Rivas Hernandez shown in court indicate she had gotten pregnant and had an abortion more than a year before she was killed. In an exchange in early January 2024, D4vd apologized for putting her through this, and Rivas Hernandez replied that neither of them were capable of taking care of the baby and that it was for the best. When he asked if the baby was his, she replied that of course it was his, according to KTLA.
The text messages on the phone spanned from November 2023 to March 2025, and discussed abortion and emergency contraception many times. In August 2024, after an apparent argument, Rivas Hernandez expressed regret and grief regarding an abortion, writing that she cared about him and killed her kid for him. Prosecutors also showed photographs indicating the pair discussing marriage and plans for a future together, alongside images of an engagement ring and tattoos associated with their relationship.
Autopsy and Forensic Findings Presented in Court
Dr. Grant Ho of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner gave the details of Rivas Hernandez’s death at the hearing, testifying that she had been killed by two sharp force wounds to her upper body. Her dismembered, decomposing body was found in September in the trunk of a Tesla towed from the Hollywood Hills, nearly five months after authorities said she was killed. Ho described postmortem dismemberment including severed arms, legs, and amputated ring and pinky fingers from her left hand, which he noted was consistent with the use of a power tool such as a chainsaw.
Financial witnesses have testified that Burke’s music had earned him at least $10 million between 2023 and 2025. Performing under the name D4vd, he became a phenomenon on streaming and social media platforms with his 2022 breakthrough Romantic Homicide,
released EPs, opened for SZA on tour, and performed at the Coachella music festival, as detailed by ABC7. The preliminary hearing will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for Burke to stand trial on the charges.
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