Judge Orders D4vd to Stand Trial in Teen Murder Case

A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday that singer D4vd must stand trial on charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The decision followed a five-day preliminary hearing in which prosecutors laid out evidence linking the 21-year-old musician, whose real name is David Burke, to the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

Judge Charlaine Olmedo found probable cause on all counts, a standard well below the one required for conviction. "The people have met their burden on all counts," she said, ordering Burke held without bail. He has pleaded not guilty. His defense lawyers declined to comment outside court.

Prosecutors allege Burke killed Rivas Hernandez on April 23, 2025, after she threatened to expose their relationship. According to the prosecution, she arrived at his Hollywood home in an Uber he arranged, sent a final text message – "girly pop i'm almost there open ur door if ur home" – and then stopped communicating. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman told the court the evidence was overwhelming: "Based on the mountains of evidence presented, all of the allegations have been proved way beyond the standard required."

The case involves allegations the pair met when Rivas Hernandez was 11 and that Burke began sexually abusing her at 13, when he was 18. Prosecutors said he killed her after she threatened to report the relationship, then dismembered her body in his garage using chainsaws. Records show he purchased chain saws and plastic wading pools, the state said. DNA matching Rivas Hernandez was found on bloodstains recovered from the garage.

Burke's defense attorney, Marilyn Bednarski, argued there was insufficient evidence of intent to kill. "There's no evidence that Mr. Burke harbored a deliberate intent to kill Miss Hernandez," she said, pointing to communications that showed "no threat, no evidence of a history of violence" and what she called "the opposite of homicidal malice." The defense also challenged the medical examiner's finding that the cause of death was two puncture wounds, calling it too inconclusive to establish murder.

Prosecutors said Burke kept the body in the trunk of a Tesla registered in his name for several months until the vehicle was towed from the Hollywood Hills in September 2025. Surveillance footage is expected to show Burke was the last person to drive the car. They also alleged he sent messages from Rivas Hernandez's phone after her death, asking where she was and expressing concern for her welfare.

Detective Farrell testified that sexually explicit photographs and years of text messages documented the relationship. He also said investigators found evidence Rivas Hernandez became pregnant in 2024 at age 13 and later underwent an abortion. The material was graphic enough that her mother left the courtroom in tears during Friday's proceedings.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said prosecutors are still considering whether to seek the death penalty. Burke is scheduled to be arraigned August 31.

D4vd rose to fame as a teenager with a blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop, amassing a large following on TikTok, SoundCloud and Spotify. His 2022 single "Romantic Homicide" has more than a billion streams, and he performed at Coachella in 2024. His debut album, Withered, was released two days after prosecutors allege Rivas Hernandez was killed.