Singer David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, is facing a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles for the alleged murder of a 14-year-old girl. Prosecutors presented graphic evidence of the victim’s decomposed remains, found in September 2025 inside a Tesla, as the court determines if sufficient evidence exists to proceed to a jury trial.
The atmosphere inside the downtown Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday was one of high tension. The room was packed with journalists, TikTok creators, and members of the public who had won a lottery for limited seating. That anticipation shifted to a heavy silence when 21-year-old David Anthony Burke entered the room in an orange jail uniform, shackled at the wrists and ankles. While his handcuffs were removed, he remained chained to his chair for the duration of the proceedings, offering only brief, quiet responses of Good morning, Your Honour
and Yes, Your Honour
to the judge.
Graphic Evidence and the Impact on the Rivas Hernandez Family
The most harrowing portion of the hearing centered on the testimony of Detective Joshua Byers. Before displaying crime scene images, prosecutor Beth Silverman repeatedly checked with the parents of the victim, Celeste Rivas Hernandez, warning them about the nature of the visuals and asking if they preferred to look away. According to reporting by the BBC, the images were so severe that the victim’s face was no longer recognizable.
The Tesla Discovery and Allegations of Concealment
The case traces back to September 2025, when Celeste’s body was discovered in a Hollywood tow yard. The remains were located inside the trunk of a Tesla owned by Burke. Detective Byers testified that upon opening a cadaver bag inside the vehicle, he found a torso and a head, with another black refuse bag underneath containing severed limbs. newsofbahrain.com reports that Burke has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including murder, destruction of human remains, and sexual abuse of a minor.
Beyond the discovery of the body, investigators have presented evidence suggesting a calculated effort to dismember and hide the remains.
- Chainsaws
- Body bags
- An inflatable pool
Tattoos as Forensic Links
Prosecutors are using physical markers to establish a direct connection between Burke and the victim. The judge was shown photographs of a red-ink tattoo on Burke’s left ring finger that reads Celeste
, as well as a tattoo on his right index finger that says Shhh…
To create a forensic link, prosecutors presented a photograph of Celeste showing a similar “Shhh…” tattoo on her right index finger. Further evidence included a photograph of a hand where the ring and little fingers had been removed.
As the preliminary hearing is expected to last several days, the prosecution intends to call additional witnesses. The central objective remains establishing whether there is sufficient evidence to move the case toward a full jury trial, leaving the legal fate of the 21-year-old singer dependent on the strength of these forensic and circumstantial links.
Worth a look
