What charges does D4vd face in this case?

Burke is charged with first-degree murder, mutilation of human remains, and child sexual abuse. Prosecutors also filed special circumstances that could make him eligible for the death penalty.

How did the defense respond to the prosecution’s case?

Defense lawyers said prosecutors had not shown enough to prove Burke committed the crime. They argued Hernandez’s parents knew about the relationship, pointed to texts they said showed she wanted to visit, and said the lack of surveillance footage and uncertain medical evidence weakened the case.

D4vd Murder Trial Set After Teen's Death

Q: What evidence did prosecutors say linked Burke to Hernandez’s death?

Prosecutors cited text messages, witness testimony, and records showing purchases of items such as a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool, and a shovel after her death. They also said Hernandez went to Burke’s Hollywood home in an Uber he sent and was stabbed when she arrived.

Q: What happens next in the case?

Burke is due back in court on 31 August, when the charges will be formally read. The trial is expected to begin within 90 days after that, and prosecutors said they have not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.

A judge ordered a D4vd murder trial after evidence tied Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains to a Tesla linked to his address and prosecutors laid out their case.

The D4vd murder trial is now moving forward after a Los Angeles judge found enough evidence to send singer D4vd to court over the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a 14-year-old whose remains were found last September in a Tesla registered to his address. The ruling came after a five-day preliminary hearing that placed graphic evidence before the court and drew in Hernandez’s family.

Burke, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is 21 and has pleaded not guilty to charges that include murdering and sexually abusing the teen. He is due back in court on 31 August, when the charges will be formally read, and the trial is expected to begin within 90 days after that. Prosecutors have charged him with first-degree murder, mutilation of human remains, and child sexual abuse, along with special circumstances that could make him eligible for the death penalty.

Los Angeles prosecutors told the court that Burke stabbed Hernandez and later dismembered her body after what they described as years of sexual abuse. They also argued that the killing was tied to financial gain, saying he feared the girl would expose his relationship with a minor and damage his music career. On Monday, the court heard messages prosecutors say showed threats Hernandez sent on 22 April 2025 during a dispute about Burke’s friendship with another girl.

Those texts, read in court, included threats of violence and claims that she would ruin his career. Prosecutors said Hernandez went to Burke’s Hollywood home the next day in an Uber he had sent for her, and that he stabbed her when she arrived. The hearing also included testimony from Detective Corey Farrell of the Los Angeles Police Department, who said text messages suggested Burke and Hernandez had attended church with her family. Farrell also said the teen had told Burke different ages, including 16 and 18.

The defense pushed back hard, saying the prosecution had not shown enough to prove Burke committed the crime. Burke’s lawyers said Hernandez’s parents knew about the relationship and had given written consent for her to travel to London with him for a week. They also pointed to texts from 22 and 23 April that, in their view, showed Hernandez wanted to go to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home and that he resisted before eventually sending the Uber.

Defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski told the court that Burke repeatedly expressed care and affection for Hernandez after they broke up. The defense also argued that the medical examiner could not prove how two penetrating wounds were caused, and said the lack of surveillance footage placing Burke at home on the night of 23 April weakened the prosecution’s case. The judge, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo, said the evidence met the probable-cause standard for trial and ruled that the people had met their burden on all counts.

In court, prosecutors also presented records they say show Burke ordered items including a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool, and a shovel after Hernandez’s death. A homicide detective testified that those purchases were made in the days after her death, and prosecutors say a chainsaw was used to dismember the body. But Los Angeles Police Department criminalist Lauren Wallace testified that chainsaws found in Burke’s garage tested negative for blood and were not tested for DNA, a point the defense used to argue the case was still uncertain. Investigators also said they could not find a third 10-inch Makita chainsaw that prosecutors believe Burke ordered after Hernandez died.

After the hearing, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office had shown only a fraction of its evidence and would present the rest at trial. He also said the office had not yet decided whether it would seek the death penalty. For American readers, the D4vd murder trial is a stark reminder of how fast a criminal case can turn into a broader test of evidence, responsibility, and justice when a young life is lost.

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