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Singer D4vd’s preliminary hearing in connection with 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s murder is scheduled for July 21, 2026. During the hearing, Judge Charlaine Olmedo will determine whether there is enough evidence to move forward with a trial.
Hernandez’s dismembered remains were discovered in a vehicle’s trunk in September 2025. The vehicle was later found to be registered in the name of D4vd, whose real name is David Burke. According to prosecutors, D4vd was in a s—– relationship with Hernandez for years despite her being a minor, and allegedly murdered her after she threatened to expose their affair.
Prosecution Will Present Evidence Against D4vd During the Hearing
D4vd was arrested in April 2026 and charged with murder, s—– abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the preliminary hearing, the prosecution is set to present evidence that will allegedly establish a link between the singer and Hernandez’s death. The evidence reportedly includes records showing that D4vd, 21, bought chainsaws and wading pools that he later used to allegedly dismember the victim’s body.
The prosecution is also set to present DNA evidence linking Hernandez to the blood stains found inside D4vd’s home. Additionally, prosecutors have said they have surveillance footage to show the singer was the last person to drive the Tesla in which the remains were discovered.
The hearing is expected to last four hours, during which key witnesses can also be called to the stand by the prosecution. Meanwhile, the defense can examine potential weaknesses in witness testimony to use later at trial. The judge will eventually decide whether there is enough evidence to establish probable cause to proceed to trial.
The Death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez
According to investigators, Hernandez, a Lake Elsinore native, first met D4vd when she was 11. The two allegedly began a s—– affair when she was 13 while the singer was 18. Hernandez was reported missing several times by her family in the months leading up to her death; however, police initially treated her as a runaway.
The alleged murder happened in April 2025 when D4vd lured Hernandez to his Hollywood Hills home and allegedly killed her to prevent her from exposing their relationship. On September 8, 2025, Hernandez’s decomposed and dismembered remains were discovered inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to D4vd.
The vehicle had been impounded and towed after it had been abandoned in Hollywood Hills for weeks. The identity of the victim was confirmed over a week later using dental records. D4vd was named as a suspect in the case in November 2025, and finally arrested on April 16, 2026.
The prosecution alleges that D4vd stabbed Hernandez multiple times before cutting her body into pieces using chain saws. “Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out,” the prosecution alleged.
