Defense Strategy Begins in D4vd Case
LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Thursday, lawyers for D4vd started to unveil their defense strategy. They questioned police about the lack of extensive DNA testing on items found in the singer’s home and car, which authorities claim were involved in the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
This hearing marks the third day of a preliminary session, where a judge will determine if there’s enough probable cause to proceed with charges against D4vd, whose real name is David Burke. He faces serious accusations including murder, child sexual abuse, and corpse mutilation.
D4vd has pleaded not guilty. His defense team has expressed that they will strongly assert his innocence but have been somewhat vague about their arguments concerning how Rivas-Hernandez died or how her dismembered remains ended up in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla.
Defense attorney Blair Burke examined two small chainsaws discovered in Burke’s garage, which prosecutors allege were used for dismembering the body. Detective Lauren Wallace from the Los Angeles Police testified that early chemical analyses revealed no blood on the chainsaw, which is why she did not proceed with DNA tests for any potential traces left by the person who handled it.
Burke pointed out, “If the item had someone else’s DNA on it, you wouldn’t be able to see it at that point.” Meanwhile, Wallace affirmed that the initial blood tests were negative.
Burke countered that this doesn’t completely eliminate the potential presence of someone else’s touch DNA. The conversation turned when Wallace stated that DNA testing in the suspect’s residence was irrelevant, given that his DNA could be found everywhere.
Burke quickly interjected, asking, “You know that more than one person lived in this mansion, right?” to which Wallace confirmed she knew.
Wallace also mentioned she found evidence of blood being cleaned in the garage, adding that her team discovered a jug of fake blood there. Burke then implied that it might have been used in one of his music videos.
D4vd, an indie pop artist with a significant online following, is known for his music featuring dark themes and violent imagery, often expressed through his alter ego named Itami. His hit single “Romantic Homicide,” released in 2022, has over a billion streams on Spotify. Notably, his debut album “Wizard” debuted just days after authorities announced the murder of Rivas-Hernandez.
During the hearing, he sat quietly at the defense table wearing an orange prison uniform and glasses, closely observing the testimony being given.
Additional police testimonies revealed that cell phone tracking and Tesla system data confirmed Burke was at his Hollywood residence on the night of April 23, 2025, when Rivas-Hernandez was allegedly killed. Later that evening, he appeared to have traveled to a secluded area in Santa Barbara County, around 95 miles away. A detective testified that he visited the site twice in May, including when Rivas-Hernandez’s passport was found by highway workers.
Prosecutors are attempting to establish that Burke initiated a sexual relationship with Rivas-Hernandez when she was just 13 and he was 18. They claimed in court documents that, the night before her death, she became jealous of his other relationships and threatened to damage his lucrative career. Allegedly, Burke drove to pick her up on April 23 and stabbed her upon reaching her home.
According to prosecutors, her body remained in the front trunk of the Tesla for several weeks or even months before it was discovered when the car was towed in September.
