Celeste Rivas Hernandez hearing sheds new light on case
A Los Angeles preliminary hearing into the killing of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has revealed blood DNA matches, alias purchases of chainsaws and a burn box, and explicit texts showing she had an abortion at 13. Singer d4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, has pleaded not guilty as a judge weighs whether the case goes to trial.
Key Takeaways
- Prosecutors say text messages show a sexual relationship with Celeste Rivas Hernandez beginning when she was 13, and that she had an abortion about a year before her death.
- LAPD criminalists testified that blood stains in Burke's Tesla and rented home statistically matched the teen's DNA.
- Detectives say Burke ordered chainsaws, an inflatable pool, and a burn box under aliases; her discarded ID was found along Highway 154 near Santa Barbara.
- Burke has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and mutilating human remains.
The hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court is meant to decide whether there is probable cause to send the case to trial. Celeste's dismembered body was found in the trunk of Burke's Tesla in September 2025, nearly five months after authorities say she was killed. For more coverage of high-profile investigations, see BlasterPost's True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section.
What new evidence emerged at the preliminary hearing?
According to CNN, detectives described blood stains on a garage mat, a rowing machine, a Tesla charger plug, and inside the car that criminalist Samantha Tosch said statistically matched Celeste's DNA. Body-camera footage and graphic crime-scene photos were also shown in court.
LAPD Detective Joshua Byers testified that items were ordered to Burke's home under the aliases "Travion Davis" and "Victoria Martinez," including chainsaws, a shovel, a fireproof mat, an inflatable pool, and a burn box described as capable of destroying evidence. Two chainsaws found at the home showed no blood, Byers said, and a third purchased from Home Depot was never located. Defense attorneys challenged how evidence was collected and tested.
What did texts about Celeste Rivas Hernandez reveal?
LAPD Detective Corey Farrell testified that messages between Burke and Celeste traced back to August 2022, when she was 11, and that their sexual relationship ran from November 2023 to March 2025, when she was 13 and he was 18 or 19. Texts discussed Plan B, pregnancy, and an abortion in early 2024.
In one exchange cited in court, Celeste wrote that neither of them could care for a baby. Later messages showed strain: she expressed regret over the abortion and, by March 2025, said their interactions revolved around sex rather than a relationship. Farrell also described dozens of explicit photos recovered from Burke's phone and iCloud that were not shown publicly.
Why do prosecutors say Celeste Rivas Hernandez was killed?
Prosecutors allege Burke killed the 14-year-old after she threatened to expose their relationship and damage his rising music career. An Interscope finance executive testified a record deal could have paid him up to $19 million if future albums were delivered; his financial manager said he earned $10 million to $11.5 million between 2023 and 2025.
Medical examiner Dr. Grant Ho testified her death was a homicide caused by two penetrating wounds to the chest and abdomen. Cellular analysis, prosecutors say, shows three trips to rural Santa Barbara County after her disappearance, including on April 23, 2025—the day they believe she was killed—near where a roadside worker later found her passport ID. Judge Charlaine Olmedo will decide if the case proceeds; Burke's lawyers say they will vigorously defend his innocence.