D4vd Murder Case: Unauthorized Access Probe Raises New Questions

Something seems to be going wrong with the investigation into the David Anthony Burke, aka D4vd case. He faces murder charges for the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Now, the people handling the evidence face some problems. Read on for more details about that.

The Medical Examiner’s Office

We reported that an NBC News report revealed more than twelve employees at the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office underwent some scrutiny because they allegedly looked at case files without permission.

During a podcast on NewsNation on Friday, legal anchor Jesse Weber sat down with forensic expert Joseph Scott Morgan to discuss the case. They confirmed that it seems there’s a big mess inside the medical examiner’s office.

The talk turned into a harsh critique of the people who are supposed to protect the evidence. On the surface, it appears someone may have been looking where they shouldn’t have.

The office is under investigation for “accessing information improperly,” Weber said.

A Broken Bond

Inside a death investigation, rules are strict. Only a few people should look at the files. Morgan, who hosts the Body Bags podcast, didn’t hide his irritation about the breach. “What in the hell are you doing looking at these files if you have nothing to do with the case?” Morgan asked.

He explained that a “sacred bond” exists between police departments and medical examiners. They are separate groups, but they must trust each other. When workers look at files without permission, that trust breaks.

The biggest worry is what happened to the data. Nobody knows if the workers downloaded the files. They might have taken photos. Morgan warned the records could have been “sent out to some news agency.”

It undermines confidence in the process.

Messy Science Helps the Defense

The prosecution’s case against D4vd already appeared complex. Morgan reminded true crime followers that the body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in an “advanced state of decomposition.”

Police officers and forensics teams spent days doing grueling field work. Now, their work might be at risk.

Weber pointed out that this blunder gives defense lawyers a massive gift.

Attorneys can argue the medical examiner’s office handled the files in a way that was “reckless, careless, flippant,” Morgan noted.

If a court cannot trust the office to secure digital files, it becomes much easier to doubt the physical evidence. The defense will almost certainly use this to challenge the prosecution’s case.

The Secret Lock

There were signs of trouble before the news broke. The LAPD and the medical examiner recently had a public disagreement about locking the case files.

The chief medical examiner reiterated that sealing the records was “not our standard practice.” They only did it because the police asked.

At the time, the public back-and-forth seemed strange. Now, it makes more sense. The police may have been aware there were concerns about unauthorized access. If so, it could help explain why they pushed to have the records sealed.

A Very Bad Look

“Looking back, it makes me raise my eyebrow,” Morgan shared on the broadcast. He suggested the police may have known something was wrong.

A high-profile murder trial is tough enough without allegations that employees within the county’s forensic system improperly accessed confidential files.

The LAPD is likely furious. For now, the state has to clean up its own office before it can successfully prosecute the case against D4vd in court.

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