A Los Angeles judge ruled that singer David Anthony Burke, who uses the stage name of D4vd, must stand trial for murder over the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The Judge’s Decision
Judge Charlane Olmedo made the call after a five-day preliminary hearing. Prosecutors allege Burke killed the teenager after she arrived at his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025.
They allege he dismembered her body before her remains were later discovered in the front trunk of his Tesla.
The case moves forward now. And the hearing gave us our first real look at how Burke’s lawyers plan to fight back.
The Breakdown on Law and Crime
On Law&Crime Network’s Sidebar, host Jesse Weber sat down with NBC LA reporter Julia Deng to discuss what happened inside the courtroom. Deng watched the whole thing from the gallery.
Weber pointed out that the defense team gave a “shocking” preview of their plans. He noted they seem to be setting up a self-defense claim.
Deng explained how defense lawyer Blair Burke used text messages to tell a whole different story. She said the defense used the exact same text records as the state, but picked different messages to show Celeste as the aggressive one.
Defense vs Prosecutors
Defense lawyer Marilyn Bednarski argued during closing statements that police have no direct proof of a murder. She said the state only has proof that supports “concealment and transportation” of a body.
Outside court, District Attorney Nathan Hochman said the evidence against D4vd easily meets the bar for trial. Per Reuters, He told reporters the office is still considering whether to seek the death penalty.
Self-Defense and Threatening Texts
The defense relies heavily on texts sent right before Celeste died. Blair Burke showed messages where Celeste threatened to ruin Burke’s music career. She threatened to call his mother and contact his business team.
Celeste sent those messages because she was angry about social media posts connecting Burke to influencer Asia Collins. In one text, Celeste threatened to “mutilate” him.
Deng noted in court that Celeste demanded the meeting on April 23. David Burke told her no at first because he was getting ready for a trip “to Singapore,” but she pushed until he agreed. The defense wants people to see her as the driver of that night’s events.
Problems with the State’s Timeline
Reporting from USA Today and CNN highlighted how prosecutors pointed to a critical 21-minute window on April 23 where they claim the murder happened. Bednarski pushed back hard on that timeline.
She used the medical examiner’s own words against the state. The medical examiner admitted he could not pinpoint the exact time of death because the body was too decomposed. He could not tell which wound came first or what weapon caused them.
Bednarski said prosecutors cannot prove D4vd sat around and watched her “bleed out.” The medical timeline is simply too wide.
Fighting the Death Penalty Charges
Burke’s team wants to strip away the special circumstance charges. That would take the death penalty off the table.
They say the “lying in wait” charge fails because Celeste demanded to come over. They argue that protecting a career from bad press isn’t the same as killing for “financial gain.” They also argue Celeste’s texts threatened to leak rumours, not report crimes to police.
Missing Links in the Evidence
A report by the Daily Mail detailed how prosecutors presented evidence of Burke’s online purchases, including “chainsaws” and “body bags.” Still, the defense pointed out several empty spots in the police investigation.
An Uber driver allegedly took Celeste 80 miles to Burke’s home that night. Yet, when LAPD talked to the driver, he said he had no memory of the trip or dropping her off.
Police also have no security camera footage showing Celeste arriving at the house. They have no video showing D4vd there either. Location data shows Burke’s Tesla moving north later that night, but no photos show who was behind the wheel.
The missing footage is likely to remain one of the issues contested at trial.
Judge Olmedo decided the state has enough basic evidence to move forward on all three charges. David Burke faces first-degree murder, with special circumstances, mutilation of human remains, and continuous sexual abuse of child uder the age of 14.
He remains in jail without bail. His formal arraignment happens on August 31, 2026.
Join the discussion and come back later for more true crime news and updates. We also have a crime channel on TikTok that you can follow.