D4vd case: Officials investigating alleged leaks by medical examiner employees

LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday, the defense and prosecution announced they are ready to move forward with a preliminary hearing that will determine if David Burke, known professionally as singer D4vd, will stand trial for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

However, new developments may impact the case.

What they're saying:

The latest development is centered on the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office following reports that at least one employee leaked details of the investigation to the media.

Defense attorney Dmitry Gorin, who has no connection to the case, noted that while the defense could use the allegation in court, a dismissal is highly unlikely.

"The defendant could make arguments later in the case that his constitutional rights were violated because the coroner's department—an arm of the government—refused, intentionally and willfully, to follow what a judge told them," Gorin said. "I think that argument is going to be weaker because, at the end of the day, this is a murder case. So, even if a defendant's rights, perhaps to privacy, at some point were violated, it's hard for me to believe that a case could be dismissed because a coroner's report was leaked."

Union releases a statement

SEIU 721, the union that represents medical examiner employees, released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon.

"SEIU 721 cannot respond to these allegations due to the ongoing nature of this case. However, we can say – unequivocally – that our union remains firmly committed to safeguarding the privacy of all victims. Patient privacy is an issue we take seriously, especially since so many of our union members are in the healthcare field and working with patients either directly or indirectly. Our union will be following this matter closely as the facts become clearer."

Another union, Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers' Association, issued a separate statement:

"As a matter of principle, our union does not comment on active, on-going personnel investigations or confidential employment matters involving our members. Every employee is entitled to due process, a fair and impartial investigation, and the protections provided under their collective bargaining agreement and applicable law.

We are aware that some employees have received notifications from the County. Beyond that, it would be inappropriate to comment on the substance of any allegations, the identities of employees involved, or the investigative process while it is ongoing. Our role is to ensure that every member's contractual and legal rights are respected throughout the process.

We expect the County to conduct any investigation professionally, fairly, and without prejudice. We encourage others to allow the process to run its course before making conclusions. If there is information that warrants comment, we will evaluate whether any additional statement is appropriate. Please feel free to reach out to me on this matter or any other."

The backstory:

In November 2025, Hernandez’s case was scrubbed from the medical examiner’s website after the Los Angeles Police Department placed a security hold on the case. A previous request for a security hold had been denied in September.

At the time, the LAPD stated, "the hold was placed to ensure LAPD detectives receive information from the Medical Examiner before the public."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s case scrubbed from medical examiner’s website

However, it was a decision Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo pushed back on, saying in part, "The practice of security holds is virtually unheard of in other counties and has not been proven to improve outcomes in the legal system. We are dedicated to serving our community with full transparency; however, the law precludes us from doing so while the court order remains in this case."

The leak allegedly occurred while the case was sealed.

Gruesome Details Released

Hernandez’s cause of death was publicly released five months later. The report ruled her cause of death as homicide caused by "multiple penetrating injuries with unspecified objects." Specifically, the report details penetrating wounds to the torso with "smooth edges" that investigators believe represent sharp force injuries.

Prosecutors allege text messages reveal that the night before she was killed, the two got into a fight and she threatened to disclose information about their illegal sexual relationship that would ruin his career.

They also argue she was stabbed to death at his Hollywood Hills rental property and that he waited until she bled out. He then allegedly went to Santa Barbara and when he returned to LA, investigators said he ordered tools, using multiple services including Amazon and Postmates using a fake name, to dismember her body, including chainsaws and a burn cage.

Burke was arrested on April 17 and three days later, he was formally charged with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He pleaded not guilty to all charges on April 20. 

The other side:

Burke and his legal team have denied all allegations.

Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death," his legal team wrote in a previous statement. "We will vigorously defend David’s innocence."

Key Dates in the Case

Timeline:

See a list of key dates below.

• Feb. 17, 2024: Deputies conduct a welfare check, during which Burke is informed that Rivas-Hernandez is only 13 years old.
• April 2024: Rivas-Hernandez is reported missing for a second time.
• April 22, 2025: Rivas-Hernandez allegedly threatens to expose the relationship during an argument.
• April 23, 2025: Investigators believe Rivas-Hernandez is murdered on this day.
• April 24, 2025: Burke allegedly orders a shovel via Postmates.
• April 25, 2025: Burke’s debut album, "Withered," is officially released.
• May 1–5, 2025: Burke allegedly used an alias to acquire chainsaws, a body bag, and an inflatable pool.
• July 7, 2025: Burke allegedly orders a burn cage.
• Sept. 8, 2025: Remains are discovered inside a Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard.
• April 17, 2026: Burke is arrested on suspicion of murder.
• April 29, 2026: Graphic dismemberment details are revealed during a preliminary court hearing.
• May 12, 2026: A major court date was postponed to allow the singer's legal team to review more evidence.
• June 17, 2026: A scheduled status conference was postponed to July 7.
• July 7, 2026: Both the prosecution and defense said they are prepared to move forward with the case.

What's next:

On July 21, a judge will determine if there is enough evidence for D4vd to stand trial and for the case to go to a jury.

MORE COVERAGE ABOUT THE KILLING OF CELESTE RIVAS HERNANDEZ 

• Singer D4vd pleads not guilty to murder of 14-year-old girl
• Celeste Rivas Hernandez case: Private investigator reveals date last photos of teen were taken
• Celeste Rivas: Video from former teacher could be 'smoking gun' in case
• Celeste Rivas case: Investigator says 'it's very clear' who parked D4vd's Tesla with teen's body inside
• D4vd’s friend, Neo, arrested after failing to appear as grand jury witness: TMZ
• D4vd moves out of $20,000 a month Hollywood Hills rental amid homicide investigation
• Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s case scrubbed from medical examiner’s website
• Celeste Rivas case: D4vd named grand jury target as new court docs reveal dismemberment details

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