Judge rules singer D4vd must stand trial in killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Lead

A Los Angeles judge ruled on Monday that singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, will stand trial in the killing and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Judge Charlaine Olmedo found that evidence presented over a five-day preliminary hearing provided probable cause for trial on charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail.

Coverage comparison

The ruling was reported by ABC Australia, Africa News, BBC World, Deutsche Welle, The Guardian, the Jerusalem Post, the South China Morning Post, and The Hindu. All accounts agree that Judge Olmedo determined there was enough evidence for the case to proceed, and that Burke entered a not-guilty plea. Several outlets, including ABC Australia and The Guardian, reported that prosecutors alleged Rivas Hernandez had threatened to expose her relationship with Burke and end his career. Deutsche Welle and the Jerusalem Post highlighted prosecutors' allegations that Burke used chainsaws and a portable "burn box" incinerator to dismember the victim's body.

Key claims

According to multiple reports, Burke is accused of murdering Rivas Hernandez in April 2025, around the time his debut album was released. Her dismembered and decomposing body was found in September 2025 in the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke, according to the Jerusalem Post and Deutsche Welle. The body was discovered after the car was towed to an impoundment lot, where workers noticed a decaying smell and called police.

Prosecutors allege that Burke first met Rivas Hernandez when she was 11 and began sexually abusing her when she was 13, as reported by Deutsche Welle. The Guardian and ABC Australia reported that the victim had threatened to expose their relationship, with text messages read in court showing her writing, "i will end ur career and ur life" the night before her death. These texts were obtained from warrants on Burke's iPhone and iCloud accounts, according to The Guardian.

Defense attorneys have argued that the evidence does not show the malice required for a murder conviction, as reported by The Hindu. In court, they established that no witnesses saw Rivas Hernandez enter Burke's home, nor did cameras capture Burke being there at the time prosecutors allege the killing occurred, according to The Guardian. They also noted that Rivas Hernandez never threatened to go to police or pursue legal action, only to expose the relationship to family and friends.

Judge Olmedo emphasized that the probable cause standard for a preliminary hearing is lower than the threshold at trial. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said the prosecution's evidence was overwhelming, stating, "Based on the mountains of evidence presented, all of the allegations have been proved way beyond the standard required."

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters outside court that prosecutors are still deciding whether to seek the death penalty, as reported by the Jerusalem Post and Deutsche Welle.

Perspectives

The prosecution, led by Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman, maintains that the evidence against Burke is overwhelming and that all allegations have been proven beyond the preliminary hearing's standard. The defense, represented by attorneys Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski, has argued that Burke did not cause Rivas Hernandez's death and that the evidence does not support a murder conviction. They have pointed to the lack of witnesses or camera footage placing Burke at the scene during the alleged killing. Judge Charlaine Olmedo, while ruling that there is enough evidence to proceed, stressed that the probable cause standard is considerably lower than what will be required at trial.