Full Breakdown
Preliminary Hearing Examines Evidence Linking Singer D4vd to the Murder of Celeste Rivas Hernández
7/25/2026, 12:02:15 AM
Core Event
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo is presiding over a multi-day preliminary hearing to decide whether David Anthony Burke—known professionally as the indie-pop singer D4vd—should stand trial for the murder, sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández. Prosecutors allege Burke stabbed the teenager in his Hollywood Hills garage and stored the remains in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to him.
Background & Context
Celeste Rivas Hernández was reported missing in April 2024 after leaving Lake Elsinore, California. Authorities linked her disappearance to Burke, who allegedly began a sexual relationship with the girl when she was 13 and he was 18. The DA’s office argues the relationship continued for several years and that the teen threatened to expose it, prompting the alleged killing. The case has drawn national attention because of the graphic nature of the evidence and Burke’s high-profile music career, including a 2022 single titled “Romantic Homicide” that amassed over a billion Spotify streams.
Timeline
- April 5, 2024 – Rivas Hernández last seen in western Riverside County.
- April 23, 2025 – Prosecutors claim Burke invited the teen to his home and stabbed her.
- April 16, 2025 – Burke arrested on capital-murder charges.
- July 21, 2026 – Opening day of the preliminary hearing; graphic crime-scene photos shown publicly.
- July 22-24, 2026 – Testimony from medical examiner, LAPD criminalists, and detectives presented.
- July 23, 2026 – Criminalist Chelsea Murillo testifies about air fresheners and odor in the Tesla.
Official Statements & Responses
Burke’s defense team, led by attorney Blair Berk, has challenged the forensic methodology, arguing that the DNA findings do not definitively place Burke at the crime scene and that the investigation may have focused exclusively on him.
Criticism & Opposition
Defense lawyer Blair Berk questioned the reliability of the DNA mixture analysis, emphasizing that “it’s not saying David Burke’s DNA was definitively found in the mixture.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Detective Joshua Byers described opening a cadaver bag in the Tesla’s front trunk and finding a torso, head, and a second bag containing severed limbs. He reported that severe decomposition prevented facial identification, and dental records were used to confirm the victim’s identity. The teen’s parents attended the hearing, with the mother, Mercedes Martinez, breaking down when a passport photograph of her daughter was displayed.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Time of death: Dr. Ho stated it was “extremely difficult” to determine when the killing occurred because of advanced decomposition, offering only that the victim had been dead for “at least weeks.”
- DNA source: While Tosch asserted a strong statistical match to Rivas Hernández, she conceded under cross-examination that she could not confirm the DNA originated from blood, acknowledging the possibility of “touch DNA.”
- Chainsaw evidence: Prosecutors allege the chainsaws were used for dismemberment, yet criminalists reported no detectable blood on the tools, and the defense argues this undermines the prosecution’s narrative.
What’s Next
Judge Olmedo is expected to issue a ruling on whether the evidence presented meets the legal threshold for a trial. The DA’s office has not yet indicated whether it will seek the death penalty. Both sides have indicated that additional forensic testimony may be presented before the hearing concludes.
