D4vd Murder Hearing Opens With Graphic Evidence in Celeste Rivas Hernandez Case

Prosecutors opened a closely watched preliminary hearing in the murder case against musician D4vd on Tuesday by presenting graphic photographic evidence of the dismembered remains of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The proceeding marked the first major courtroom presentation of evidence since the singer's arrest earlier this year.

David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old artist known professionally as D4vd for his hit "Romantic Homicide," was charged in April with first-degree murder, child sexual abuse, and mutilating a body. Prosecutors allege he stabbed Rivas to death and dismembered her remains after she threatened to expose their sexual relationship and derail his music career.

Prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office began Tuesday's proceedings by showing images of Rivas' torso contained in one black plastic bag, with her arms and legs found separately in another. Investigators recovered the remains last September inside the front trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to the singer at a Hollywood tow lot.

LAPD Detective Joshua Byers, who responded to the scene, testified that the level of decomposition made it impossible to identify any of Rivas' facial features. He described significant skin slippage that rendered her unrecognizable. Both D4vd and members of Rivas' family were present in the courtroom for the testimony.

Prosecutors allege that D4vd first met Rivas when she was 11 years old and that a sexual relationship between the two began when she was 13 and he was 18.

According to the case laid out by prosecutors, the two got into an argument in which Rivas threatened to publicly reveal their relationship. D4vd then allegedly arranged for an Uber to bring her to his Los Angeles home on April 23, 2025.

Prosecutors contend that he stabbed her to death that night out of fear that the relationship becoming public would destroy his emerging music career. His debut album, "Withered," was released just two days later.

Investigators further allege that D4vd subsequently purchased two chainsaws online and used them to dismember Rivas' body inside an inflatable pool set up in his garage. Her remains were not discovered until the following September, when they were found in his vehicle while he was away on tour promoting "Withered."

D4vd has pleaded not guilty to all charges. In a statement issued after his April arrest, his attorneys said the evidence at trial will demonstrate that Burke did not murder Rivas and was not responsible for her death.

The hearing, which began Tuesday and is set to continue Wednesday, is the first formal test of the prosecution's evidence in the case. A judge must determine whether there is probable cause to proceed, a significantly lower threshold than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard required for a conviction at trial.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office plans to call more than 10 witnesses during the hearing, including law enforcement officers and coroners. D4vd's attorneys will have an opportunity to cross-examine each witness. Hochman said the evidence presented at this stage represents only a portion of what prosecutors intend to introduce at trial if the case moves forward.

Hochman said the central question the judge must answer is whether D4vd will be held to answer for the three felony charges, expressing confidence that his office will clear the probable cause threshold required at this stage.

The murder charge carries a special circumstances enhancement, which raises the maximum possible sentence to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hochman's office has not yet announced whether it will pursue the death penalty.