Full Breakdown
D4vd Preliminary Hearing Unveils Alleged Crime Details in Teen’s Murder Case
7/22/2026, 9:05:30 AM
Core Event: Preliminary Hearing Presents Graphic Evidence
A Los Angeles courtroom opened on Tuesday for the preliminary hearing of David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old singer known as D4vd. Prosecutors, led by Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, displayed crime-scene photographs and described purchases of chainsaws, body bags, a shovel, a “burn cage,” heavy-duty laundry bags and an inflatable pool that investigators say were used to dismember and conceal the body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Burke entered the hearing in an orange jail uniform, shackled to his chair, and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, sexual abuse of a child and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The judge will decide whether the evidence meets the “probable cause” standard required to move the case to trial.
Background & Context
Celeste Rivas Hernandez was reported missing multiple times after becoming involved with Burke, who first met her when she was 11. Prosecutors allege the pair began a sexual relationship when she was 13 and that she threatened to expose the abuse in late 2024. Her body was discovered decomposing in the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke at a Hollywood tow yard in 2025. Autopsy findings released in April indicated death by two stab wounds.
Timeline
- April 20 – Burke’s arraignment on murder and rape charges.
- 2025 – Remains found in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla.
- April 23, 2025 – Hernandez was last seen alive after taking an Uber to Burke’s rented Hollywood Hills home.
- July 2026 – Preliminary hearing began, with prosecutors expected to present evidence over three to seven days.
Data & Statistics
- Victim: 14; Defendant: 21.
- Charges: first-degree murder, sexual abuse of a child, unlawful mutilation of human remains.
- Items ordered after the death: two chainsaws, a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, an inflatable pool, a shovel and a “burn cage.”
- Hearing duration: projected three to seven days.
Official Statements & Responses
Prosecutor Silverman’s filing asserts that Burke stabbed Hernandez twice, dismembered her with a chainsaw, and amputated two fingers to remove a linking tattoo. She notes a red-ink “Celeste” tattoo on Burke’s left ring finger and a “Shhh…” tattoo on his right index finger, suggesting a personal connection.
Defense attorneys Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski declined to comment.
Family attorney Patrick Steinfeld said the graphic images shown were “absolutely deplorable” and that Celeste’s mother chose to remain in the courtroom despite warnings she might “never be able to ‘unsee’” them.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has not responded to media inquiries.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Prosecutors have not indicated whether they will seek the death penalty, and the district attorney’s office has provided no comment on that possibility. The identity of the “friend” or “inner-circle” witnesses expected to testify has not been disclosed.
What’s Next
After the hearing, the presiding judge will rule on probable cause. If sufficient, the case will proceed to trial, where additional forensic, video and witness testimony is anticipated. The defense is expected to challenge the prosecution’s narrative, while prosecutors plan to call several law-enforcement witnesses to summarize the investigative findings.
