Preliminary Hearing for Singer Accused of Murdering Teen
A singer from California, identified as David Burke, known professionally as “D4vd,” faced a Los Angeles judge on Tuesday during the first day of a preliminary hearing regarding serious criminal charges. Burke is accused of grooming a 14-year-old girl, named Celeste Rivas Hernandez, and subsequently murdering her after threatening to expose her. Authorities allege he dismembered her body, which was discovered in the trunk of an abandoned Tesla near his home in Hollywood Hills.
The body was found in a state of decomposition and mutilation, with identifying tattoos on two fingers never discovered. Burke is charged with multiple offenses, including murder, child sexual abuse, and illegal mutilation of a corpse.
As the hearing progressed, Celeste’s parents were seen arriving at the District Attorney’s office. Interestingly, while the courtroom was devoid of cameras, prosecutors displayed shocking images and shared distressing details about the case.
An LAPD detective described a gruesome scene, recalling, “There were maggots… flies. I can’t quite explain that other liquid substance.” This testimony reportedly caused Celeste’s mother to nearly faint, while Burke, restrained to a chair, had no visible reaction.
The timeline of events indicates Burke met Celeste when she was just 11 and began abusing her by November of 2023, when he was 18. The District Attorney mentioned that they have yet to decide on pursuing the death penalty; if not, Burke could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if convicted.
Throughout the hearing, prosecutors revealed that they plan to call ten witnesses, including police and coroner’s office officials. They highlighted that Burke had significant interaction with Celeste in 2024, flying her to various locations and introducing her to his family, until their relationship reportedly ended that November.
Text messages from Celeste revealed her jealousy over Burke’s relationships, leading to threats about divulging damaging information about their time together. Burke allegedly concocted a cover-up plan after stabbing her and even sent messages to her phone asking where she was.
Remarkably, the morning following the murder, Burke participated in a radio interview discussing his music, offering reflections on “relationship loss” and referencing the song “Romantic Homicide.” It raises the question—how often do personal tragedies bleed into artistic expressions?
