What to KnowSinger D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, who was reported missing in the spring of 2025. The Lake Elsinore girl’s decomposed body was found Sept. 8 in the front trunk of a Tesla impounded at a Los Angeles tow yard . Police said Celeste’s death likely occurred in the spring of last year.The car was impounded after someone reported it was abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors say it had been parked for more than a month. The medical examiner’s office listed Celeste’s cause of death as multiple penetrating injuries caused by an object or objects.A preliminary hearing to determine whether there’s enough evidence for D4vd to stand trial could conclude Friday. Los Angeles prosecutors zeroed in Friday on allegations that singer D4vd sexually abused 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez before killing and dismembering her as a four-day preliminary hearing concluded in downtown Los Angeles. Over four days, Los Angeles County prosecutors presented evidence and questioned investigators in an effort to convince a judge there is enough evidence to put the singer, born David Burke, on trial for murder. The girl’s dismembered, decomposing remains were found in the front trunk of the “Romantic Homicide” singer’s Tesla after the vehicle was towed to a Hollywood impound yard in September 2025. Authorities believe Celeste was killed more than four months earlier. Crime and Courts Jul 23 Inflatable pool fragments, DNA samples from Tesla: New evidence in D4vd's pretrial hearing Crime and Courts Jul 21 Judge hears evidence against singer D4vd in killing, dismemberment of teen to decide on trial Crime and Courts Jul 6 D4vd case leaks may have led to internal probe at L.A. County Medical Examiner Details from the teen’s autopsy report The April autopsy report by Dr. Grant Ho of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner determined that Rivas Hernandez’s death was a homicide caused by multiple penetrating wounds to her upper body. While much of Ho’s testimony echoed findings in his report, he also described what investigators could not determine because of the advanced decomposition of her body. The testimony included autopsy photos. Celeste’s parents, who attended portions of the previous two days of the hearing, were not in court Friday. Ho estimated that Rivas Hernandez died on Sept. 8, 2025, weeks before her 15th birthday. The pathologist also testified that Rivas Hernandez was wearing braces, including a retainer wire behind her teeth, at the time of her death. Possible defense strategy by D4vd’s lawyers During cross-examination, Burke’s attorneys appeared to suggest that Rivas Hernandez may have taken her own life. While Ho again testified that penetrating injuries were the most likely cause of death, he acknowledged he could not determine who wielded the weapon. He also testified that he could not determine the circumstances surrounding the stabbing based on the autopsy alone. Images found on D4vd’s phone Prosecutors allege Burke began sexually abusing Rivas Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18. They contend he stabbed her to death and attempted to cover up the crime to prevent their relationship from becoming public and jeopardizing his lucrative music career. One witness who testified Friday sought to bolster that theory. LAPD Detective Corey Farrell, a nearly 30-year veteran of the department, described photos recovered from Burke’s phone. Many of the images shown in court were graphic and sexual in nature. Prosecutors argued they corroborated their allegations that Burke had a sexual relationship with Rivas Hernandez when she was 13. Farrell testified that some of the sexually explicit images, including photos depicting Rivas Hernandez’s intimate body parts while she was underage, were considered child sexual abuse material. As the graphic images and testimony continued, Rivas Hernandez’s parents were escorted from the courtroom. Texts on contraceptives, abortion Farrell reiterated what investigators have previously alleged: Rivas Hernandez began communicating with Burke on Aug. 8, 2022 when she was 11 years old. Farrell testified that, based on his review of Burke’s phone, the last recorded conversation between the two occurred on April 23, 2025. In addition to discussing plans to meet, the detective testified that Burke and Rivas Hernandez discussed emergency contraceptives, including Plan B, “many times.” He also said investigators found at least one photo of the two posing with a box of Plan B. “If I’m pregnant .. I’m not having it,” Rivas Hernandez texted Burke. She was 13 years old at the time. On Jan. 8, 2024, another text exchange appeared to show the then-13-year-old discussing a possible pregnancy with Burke, who was 19. After Burke apologized for “putting (her) through this,” Rivas Hernandez replied, “It’s OK. Neither one of us are capable of (watching) or taking care of a baby.” Months later, on July 9, 2024, Burke texted Rivas Hernandez that he wanted to give her an “abortion gift.” According to the messages shown in court, the 13-year-old replied by asking for a Balenciaga Hourglass purse. In another exchange dated Aug. 30, 2024, prosecutors said Rivas Hernandez appeared to confirm she had undergone an abortion, writing, “I killed my kid for you.” Burke has pleaded not guilty to murder, sexual abuse of a child and mutilation of a body. Prosecutors earlier said the preliminary hearing will likely take four to five days, after which a judge will determine whether prosecutors provided enough evidence for Burke to stand trial. “Even based on what we’ve seen now, when you’ve got the victim’s body in your car; when you’ve got her DNA at your house; and when your credit card account ordering the… cadaver bag, and also the chainsaws, this clearly is enough to force him to go to trial,” said NBCLA legal analyst Royal Oakes. Defense attorneys spent much of the preliminary hearing testing prosecution theories and the process that turned investigators’ attention on Burke. Oakes said the defense may pursue what’s informally known as a SODDI defense — some other dude did it. “They tipped their hand already to a degree,” said Oakes. “What they’re doing is chipping away and saying, ‘You obviously thought you had your man, but excluded any other avenues of investigation… You just were focusing on him, so they’re trying to create some reasonable doubt.” Burke was charged April 20 with capital murder. The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegations of lying in wait, murder for financial gain and killing a witness in a criminal investigation. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is expected to decide later whether to seek the death penalty against Burke, who remains jailed without bail. District Attorney Nathan Hochman has said the lying-in-wait allegation stems from D4vd’s invitation to the teen to come to his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, while the financial gain allegation stems from the singer’s effort to maintain his lucrative music career, which was being threatened by his alleged sexual relationship with the underage girl, Hochman said. The teen was considered the key witness in that investigation, leading to the allegation of murdering a witness, the district attorney said. Burke was arrested April 16 in the months-long investigation that began after decomposing remains were discovered in September 2025. They were found a day after what would have been Celeste’s 15th birthday. Police said Celeste’s death likely occurred in the spring of last year. Celeste, who disappeared in the Lake Elsinore area in 2024, was identified through forensics. She was last seen April 5, 2024, in the western Riverside County community. Celeste’s family issued a statement days after the charges were filed. “We would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office for their hard work,” a statement by Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, the girl’s parents, said. “We would also like to thank the people of Lake Elsinore for all their support.” Celeste Rivas Hernandez is pictured on a missing person poster. The criminal complaint alleges that the murder occurred on or about April 23, 2025. Hochman said possible sentences, if Burke is convicted as charged, include life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. A decision will be made at a later date. The “Romantic Homicide” singer’s world tour was in Minneapolis at the time of the discovery with a stop in Kansas City the next day. A representative told NBCLA at the time that D4vd was cooperating with authorities in their investigation. Law enforcement sources also told NBCLA Investigates that more than one person may have been involved in Celeste’s death and the attempted disposal of her body. D4vd is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame with viral hits on TikTok, where he has 3.8 million followers. That success led to signings with Darkroom and Interscope Records. Born in Queens, New York, Burke moved to Texas in his early teens and gained a following on YouTube playing Fortnite and other online games. He started creating original music, some of which went viral on TikTok. D4vd released his debut album “Withered” in April 2025 and embarked on a world tour. In an interview on the “Zach Sang Show,” D4vd said the 4 substituted for the a in his name was for search-engine optimization and a representation of four cinematic universes with various characters that he was creating. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less