D4vd faces key hearing as murder case of IE teen moves closer to trial
D4vd in court for status hearing
A status conference is scheduled Tuesday for singer D4vd, who is charged with murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose dismembered body was found in the trunk of his Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard.
LOS ANGELES - David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, is due back in court Tuesday for a major hearing in the murder case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found in a Tesla registered to the singer.
What we know:
Tuesday’s status hearing comes two weeks before a preliminary hearing will determine if Burke will stand trial.
The hearing was postponed to allow the defense more time to review evidence. Meanwhile, the prosecution alleges that Burke stabbed the teenager to death and intended to use the chainsaws to dismember her body. The motive presented by investigators is that Burke killed the victim to prevent her from going public with the details of their illegal relationship.
What was D4vd charged with?
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.
The criminal complaint also includes special circumstance allegations of murder of a witness, murder for financial gain, and lying in wait. If convicted, the singer faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said a decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made at a later date.
It has been 20 years since an inmate was executed in California. State officials said Clarence Ray Allen was the last individual executed by lethal injection, on Jan. 17, 2006.
What was Celeste Rivas Hernandez's cause of death?
An autopsy report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Rivas Hernandez’s cause of death was homicide caused by "multiple penetrating injuries with unspecified objects."
The other side:
The singer and his defense team have maintained his innocence.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Major court date for D4vd postponed as singer's legal team reviews mountain of evidence
- D4vd hires Hollywood powerhouse defense team to fight murder charges
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.
What's next:
The preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 21.
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
The Source: This report is based on Los Angeles County court records, criminal complaints filed by the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, autopsy findings from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, past statements from defense and prosecution teams, and previous FOX 11 reports.