D4vd Case: Graphic Images and Disturbing Details Presented at Preliminary Hearing

D4vd’s preliminary hearing in the case concerning Celeste Rivas Hernandez provided a troubling insight into the evidence that prosecutors claim bolsters their case. The court received graphic photos and heard unsettling details about the teen’s death in 2025 during the proceedings. The result of the preliminary hearing will establish if there is sufficient probable cause for the singer to face trial.

On Tuesday, July 21, 21-year-old D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, attended a court session for a preliminary hearing related to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The singer faced charges of first-degree murder, engaging in lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, and mutilating a body on April 20.

The teen’s parents, Mercedes Martinez and Jesus Rivas, were in attendance and opted to remain in court while the prosecution presented their evidence against D4vd.

LAPD Detective Josh Byers testified in court, revealing unsettling information regarding the finding of Celeste’s decomposed and mutilated body in September 2025. The remains were found in a Tesla that had been impounded and was registered to the singer.

Byers reported that a plastic trash bag and a cadaver bag were discovered in the vehicle. Upon opening, they observed “various limbs of a body, arms, and legs that had been severed.” It marked the inaugural occasion that images of the discovery were presented in court. The detective observed that the remains were in a state of severe decomposition, rendering the teen’s face unrecognizable, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Body cam footage of D4vd conversing with authorities was shown.

Celeste’s family reported her missing several times in early 2024. During the hearing, body cam footage from February 17, 2024, was shown, depicting authorities arriving at the singer’s Hollywood Hills home to ask about the missing teen.

In the video, D4vd informed deputies that he had been in contact with Celeste online after their initial meeting on Discord and had only met her in person a single time. He also asserted that the teenager informed him she was 18 years old after authorities presented him with a yearbook photo of Celeste, who was only 13 years old at that time, according to FOX LA.

The prosecution has presented evidence to refute D4vd’s assertions in the footage. In a legal brief submitted in April, it was stated that D4vd encountered Celeste online when she was merely 11 years old, and they initiated a sexual relationship in 2023 when she was 13 and he was 18, as previously reported by The Blast.

D4vd made online purchases following the alleged murder of the teen.

The prosecution asserts that D4vd took the life of Celeste on April 23, 2025. The teenager threatened to reveal their illicit relationship, and the singer was reluctant to risk his burgeoning career. His financial manager took the stand and stated that D4vd earned approximately $11 million from 2023 to 2025. He was in the midst of a tour when Celeste’s remains were found.

Celeste was last observed alive as she took an Uber to D4vd’s residence on the evening of April 23, 2025. Investigators provided receipts from April 24, 2025, detailing purchases of fireproof floor mats, a chainsaw, an inflatable pool, and a mop. The items were purchased using various aliases.

Video footage from July 29, 2025, captured D4vd driving his Tesla and parking it on Bluebird Avenue close to his residence. The car remained neglected for weeks before it was taken into custody. Employees at the tow yard alerted authorities upon detecting an unpleasant odor.

The prosecution must establish probable cause to proceed to trial.

Reports indicate that the preliminary hearing could extend over a period of three to five days. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman addressed reporters regarding the hearing, explaining that at this stage, prosecutors are required only to demonstrate that there is probable cause for D4vd’s case to advance to the full trial phase.

At the preliminary hearing stage, the standard we must meet is less than a reasonable doubt. “It is probable cause,” Hochman stated, noting that they will not be revealing all the evidence they possess against D4vd at this time. The prosecution will present sufficient evidence to persuade the judge that a crime occurred.

D4vd entered a plea of not guilty to all the charges against him.

D4vd’s legal team requested the judge to free their client from restraints during the hearing. While the judge instructed deputies to take off his handcuffs, his legs and waist stayed bound to his chair for the duration of the proceeding. Witnesses reported that D4vd remained silent and showed no reaction when the court displayed the graphic photos.

The singer entered a plea of not guilty to all charges during his arraignment on April 20. If the case proceeds to trial, D4vd could be confronted with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty, although prosecutors have yet to determine if they will seek the latter option.