A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday that singer D4vd will stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and unlawful mutilation of human remains in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The decision came after a five-day preliminary hearing in which prosecutors called a dozen witnesses and presented photographic evidence as Hernandez's family watched from the courtroom.
The singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is 21 years old. He was arrested in April and has pleaded not guilty to all three charges. He remains held without bail. His arraignment is scheduled for August 31, and trial is expected to begin within 90 days of that date.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman spoke to reporters outside the courthouse after the ruling. "We believe that the evidence at trial will be overwhelming to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt on the three charges with which Mr. Burke will be charged," Hochman said. He also said prosecutors presented only a portion of what they have. "You got a small preview of some of that evidence, including the text messages and the video and photographic evidence that was also presented directly to the judge. This was difficult evidence to even hear, but also the crime that we are dealing with is incredibly horrific and barbaric," he added. Hochman said his office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
Prosecutors allege Burke and Hernandez began a sexual relationship in 2023, when he was 18 and she was 13. They allege she threatened to expose the relationship and damage his career if he would not be exclusive to her. Just as tickets for his world tour were set to go on sale, prosecutors say Burke ordered an Uber that brought Hernandez to his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025. That was the last time she was seen alive, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors allege Burke stabbed her multiple times and then dismembered her body to dispose of evidence. Her badly decomposed remains were found in two body bags in the front trunk of his impounded Tesla in September 2025. Her passport was found on the side of a rural road in Santa Barbara County in January of this year.
Text messages shown in court on Monday included threats Hernandez sent Burke on April 22, 2025, stemming from arguments about his friendship with another girl. "I swear to GOD I will kill u," one expletive-laden text said, followed by a threat to strangle him and tell her father lies. "i will end ur career and ur life I will damage anything," the text continued. The following day, she traveled to his Hollywood home in the Uber he had sent for her.
During questioning, Detective Corey Farrell of the Los Angeles Police Department said text messages indicated that Burke and Hernandez had attended church with her family. The detective also acknowledged, in response to the defense, that he was aware Hernandez had misrepresented her age to Burke, telling him she was 16 and 18 at different times.
Burke's defense attorneys argued the evidence was insufficient to proceed to trial. Defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski said in court that Burke "repeatedly expressed love and care for Ms. Hernandez after they broke up." The defense also pointed to the medical examiner's inability to prove how two penetrating wounds found on the girl occurred, and noted a lack of surveillance video placing Burke at home on the night of April 23. They also said Hernandez's parents had given written consent for her to travel to London with Burke for a week.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo ruled that the evidence presented during the preliminary hearing provided probable cause to proceed to trial.
