D4vd’s legal team is challenging the police’s evidence testing in a Los Angeles preliminary hearing, where prosecutors allege the singer murdered 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
DNA Evidence and Defense Challenges
Prosecutors presented DNA evidence linking D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, to blood stains in his Hollywood Hills garage and Tesla, including a trash bag containing a mixture of DNA from four individuals, one of whom was Burke. A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) criminalist, Samantha Tosch, testified that Rivas Hernandez’s DNA was one septillion times more likely
to match the samples than an unknown person’s, according to Rolling Stone. It’s not saying David Burke’s DNA was definitively found in the mixture,
Berk said, as reported by bostonherald.com.
The defense also challenged the exclusion of certain items from testing. LAPD criminalist Lauren Wallace testified that two chainsaws found in Burke’s garage tested negative for blood, so investigators did not swab them. Berk appeared to suggest that another individual’s DNA could have been detected, asking, You were aware that multiple people lived at this residence, right?
per NBC Los Angeles. Wallace answered, Yes, we were aware.
Blood Stains and Forensic Analysis
Forensic analysis of the Tesla revealed bloodstains in the rear trunk and on a rowing machine, according to The Los Angeles Times. LAPD criminalist Chelsea Murillo described a “strong odor” resembling a decomposing body when she examined the vehicle, which had 11 air fresheners inside. Chemical tests, including Bluestar, confirmed blood traces on a blue inflatable pool and rubber mats in the garage.
Another LAPD criminalist, Lauren Wallace, testified that bloodstains on gym mats and a Tesla charger were detected using phenolphthalein and Bluestar. She acknowledged that while the evidence suggested blood, it could not be definitively confirmed. I cannot say it is definitely blood,
Wallace said, as cited in Theguardian.
Passport Discovery and Prosecution Timeline
A California highway patrol officer testified that the card was found on a dirt embankment in January 2026, and a detective linked Burke’s Tesla to the area via cell data and a Tesla system. However, defense attorney Regina Peter questioned whether weather could have moved the passport, as reported by Theguardian.
Legal Stakes and Next Steps
The hearing’s outcome will determine whether Burke faces trial for first-degree murder, child sexual abuse, and mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors argue that the DNA, blood evidence, and digital records establish a strong case, while the defense emphasizes gaps in the investigation. Judge Charlaine Olmedo will decide whether prosecutors have enough evidence to take Burke to trial. If the case proceeds, Burke could face life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. The defense has yet to present a full counter-narrative but has signaled it will challenge the prosecution’s forensic conclusions.
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