Judge to hear evidence against singer D4vd in killing, dismemberment of teen and decide on trial

Key Points:

• A judge in Los Angeles will hold a preliminary hearing starting Tuesday to determine if there is enough evidence to try singer D4vd (David Burke) for the murder and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who allegedly threatened to expose their relationship.
• Prosecutors claim Burke stabbed Rivas Hernandez multiple times at his Hollywood Hills home, dismembered her body using chainsaws in his garage, and kept her body in his car trunk for months before it was found in September 2025.
• Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains; his defense denies responsibility for her death.
• Evidence presented will include sexual text messages, photos, records of Burke ordering chainsaws and wading pools, DNA found at the crime scene, and surveillance footage showing Burke as the last person to drive the car containing the victim’s body.
• D4vd had a rising music career with viral hits on platforms like TikTok and Spotify, performed at Coachella in 2024, and was touring when the victim’s body was discovered.