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The preliminary hearing for singer D4vd continued Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles, where prosecutors presented additional testimony they say links the artist to the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
David Burke, 21, who performs under the stage name D4vd, has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He has remained in custody without bail since his arrest.
The hearing, which is being held before a judge rather than a jury, will determine whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial, the AP reports.
No cameras are allowed inside the courtroom.
Rivas Hernandez’s parents returned to court Wednesday after attending the first day of testimony, when prosecutors displayed graphic photographs of their daughter’s dismembered body, which was found inside the front trunk of Burke’s Tesla after it was towed to a Hollywood impound lot in September 2025.
On Wednesday, a California Highway Patrol officer testified that the teen’s identification card was found in Santa Barbara County. According to KTLA’s Erin Myers, Rivas Hernandez’s mother became emotional in court when the identification card was shown.
Jurors are not present during a preliminary hearing. Instead, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo will decide whether prosecutors have established probable cause for the case to move forward to trial.
KTLA legal analyst Allison Triessl said prosecutors do not need to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt at this stage but must present enough evidence to support the charges.
Additional testimony Wednesday came from criminalists who processed evidence in the investigation. One described the odor coming from Burke’s Tesla and testified about multiple air fresheners found inside the vehicle. Another criminalist testified about processing evidence at Burke’s home, where blood was found.
Courtroom sketches from the second day of singer D4vd’s preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on July 22, 2026, depict witnesses testifying, including a California Highway Patrol officer, financial witnesses and the defendant, David Burke. (Mona Edwards) Courtroom sketches from the second day of singer D4vd’s preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on July 22, 2026, depict witnesses testifying, including a California Highway Patrol officer, financial witnesses and the defendant, David Burke. (Mona Edwards) Courtroom sketches from the second day of singer D4vd’s preliminary hearing in Los Angeles on July 22, 2026, depict witnesses testifying, including a California Highway Patrol officer, financial witnesses and the defendant, David Burke. (Mona Edwards)
Much of the evidence presented during the hearing is new to Rivas Hernandez’s family, their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, said outside court.
Prosecutors allege Burke killed the teenager in April 2025 after she threatened to expose what investigators describe as an illegal sexual relationship that could have damaged his music career.
Earlier testimony from Los Angeles Police Department homicide Detective Joshua Byers alleged Burke purchased chain saws, body bags, a shovel and other items online using an alias in the days following the killing.
Financial testimony also continued Wednesday. A senior vice president of finance for Interscope Capital testified about Burke’s earning potential after another financial witness testified Tuesday that the singer earned between $10 million and $11 million from 2023 through 2025.
Burke faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. He is also eligible for the death penalty, although Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not announced whether prosecutors will seek capital punishment.
The preliminary hearing is expected to continue for several more days before the judge decides whether the case will proceed to trial.
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