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A Los Angeles courtroom this week heard emotional and disturbing text messages between rising pop singer D4vd and 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the girl he is accused of murdering, revealing a clandestine relationship marked by high hopes and a tragic end. The messages, presented during a preliminary hearing to determine if the singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, should stand trial, showed that Hernandez had been pregnant and had an abortion before her death, as reported by BBC and The Guardian.

Coverage Comparison

BBC reported that in a June 2024 text, Celeste asked Burke, "What [if] the first abortion didn't work?" She was 13 at the time and he was 19. In an earlier exchange from January 2024, Burke apologized to the teen for "putting her through this," and she responded, "neither of us are capable of watching and taking care of the baby. it's for the best no?" The messages were shown in court on Friday, according to BBC.

The Guardian's coverage placed the relationship and the charges in broader context, noting that Burke is set to stand trial for murder, child sexual abuse, and mutilation of human remains. The Guardian also detailed the discovery of Celeste's body: in September 2025, police found her decomposed remains in a Tesla impounded at a Hollywood tow yard, after the yard's manager alerted authorities to a pungent odor and flies. The car was registered to Burke, as reported by The Guardian.

While BBC quoted prosecutors saying Burke killed Celeste after she threatened to reveal he had been abusing a minor and destroy his career, The Guardian's reporting included the defense team's statement that Burke "was not the cause" of Hernandez's death. Both outlets noted that Burke has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The Guardian also covered the defense's strategy during the third day of the hearing, reporting that Burke's attorneys scrutinized how law enforcement tested evidence found in his home. Defense attorney Blair Berk questioned a police criminalist about why certain items, including chainsaws in Burke's garage, were not tested, and suggested another individual's DNA could have been detected. The exchange previewed how the defense might aim to poke holes in the prosecution's case, as The Guardian reported.

Key Claims

  • Clandestine relationship: According to The Guardian, D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez were in a clandestine relationship months before her body was found. Prosecutors say the sexual relationship began in November 2023, when Burke was 18 and Hernandez was 13.
  • Discovery of body: Celeste's body was found in an impounded car registered to D4vd, as reported by The Guardian. The vehicle was discovered at a Hollywood tow yard in September 2025, the day after she would have turned 15, according to BBC.
  • Charges and plea: D4vd is set to stand trial for murder, child sexual abuse, and mutilation of human remains, as reported by The Guardian. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, a claim carried by The Guardian and BBC.
  • Text messages as evidence: Text messages between D4vd and Celeste were presented as evidence during the hearing, according to BBC and The Guardian. The messages date back to August 2022, when Celeste was 11 and Burke was 17, as reported by BBC.
  • Pregnancy and abortion: Text messages revealed that Celeste had been pregnant and had an abortion before her death, as reported by BBC and The Guardian. In a June 2024 text, Burke wrote, "Let's let this abortion be the last one til we have the real one…"
  • Defense challenges forensic evidence: The Guardian reported that D4vd's defense team cast doubt on the evidence testing, including blood traces found in his home. The defense also questioned the medical examiner's ruling that Celeste's death was a homicide, according to The Guardian.
  • Passport discovery: The Guardian reported that Celeste's passport was found in January 2026 on a dirt embankment off State Route 154 in Santa Barbara, after a Caltrans worker alerted law enforcement. Defense attorney Regina Peter questioned whether the card could have arrived there due to weather issues.

Perspectives

Prosecution: Los Angeles County prosecutors, led by District Attorney Nathan Hochman, argue that D4vd fatally stabbed Celeste Hernandez to silence her from revealing the sexual nature of their relationship. They have presented text messages, forensic evidence of blood traces, and surveillance video to support their case, as reported by BBC and The Guardian.

Defense: Burke's defense team, including attorneys Blair Berk and Regina Peter, has maintained that he "was not the cause" of Hernandez's death. They have scrutinized the prosecution's evidence, questioning the testing methods and the medical examiner's homicide ruling, and have highlighted the possibility that other individuals lived at Burke's residence, as reported by The Guardian.