Singer D4vd is set to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday as prosecutors begin presenting their case to determine if the 21-year-old musician will stand trial for the sexual abuse, murder, and mutilation of 13-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The preliminary hearing follows a series of delays driven by the extensive volume of evidence collected by investigators.
The proceeding is expected to conclude on Thursday. The musician, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Held without bail since his April arrest, he faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of murder.
Los Angeles County prosecutors charge that Burke stabbed Hernandez to death at his residence last April to silence her from revealing their sexual relationship, which allegedly began in November 2023 when he was 18 and she was 13, as his career was gaining traction. According to court filings, Burke then mutilated her body with a chainsaw, severed her ring finger, which bore a tattoo of his name, and left her dismembered limbs inside a Tesla.
An April court brief details the evidence prosecutors intend to exhibit during the hearing. The state’s case relies on text messages between Burke and Hernandez that demonstrate their sexual relations and document her threats to expose him. Additional evidence includes surveillance footage showing Burke driving the Tesla in July 2025, receipts showing he purchased two chainsaws and a body bag, and forensic testing matching bloodstains in his garage to Hernandez’s genetic profile.
The girl’s decomposed remains were uncovered in September 2025 inside an impounded Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard. A manager at the facility alerted law enforcement after noticing flies and a pungent odor coming from the vehicle. The discovery led to the immediate cancellation of Burke’s international tour supporting his debut album “Withered,” which had launched two months prior following his initial rise to prominence via viral TikTok singles. Former collaborators have since severed professional ties with the singer.
Defense attorneys maintain that Burke was not responsible for the killing, saying in a statement at the time of his arrest: “Let us be clear — 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.”
Following Burke’s arrest in April, Hernandez’s family released a statement remembering the teenager. “Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night, and we spent wonderful times together,” they wrote. “We love her very much, and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is justice for Celeste.”
