Prosecutors in a Los Angeles preliminary hearing are attempting to establish a financial motive for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Authorities allege singer David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, killed the teenager to prevent her from exposing their sexual relationship and threatening his rising career.
Financial Stakes and Alleged Motive
As the preliminary hearing for David Anthony Burke continues, prosecutors are working to demonstrate that the 21-year-old singer had substantial financial incentives to conceal his relationship with Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Testimony provided on Wednesday revealed that Burke’s music career had generated at least $10 million between 2023 and 2025. According to AP News, financial witnesses were called to detail the scale of Burke’s earnings, which surged following his 2022 breakthrough hit, Romantic Homicide.
The prosecution alleges that Rivas Hernandez, who reportedly met Burke when she was 11, had grown jealous of other women in the singer’s life and threatened to disclose the nature of their relationship. Prosecutors argue that Burke, fearing the potential fallout on his public image and commercial success, stabbed the teenager at his Los Angeles residence to silence her.
Evidence Presented in Court
The hearing, presided over by Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo, has included graphic testimony and evidence regarding the discovery of the victim’s remains. Los Angeles police homicide detective Joshua Byers testified that a search of Burke’s garage yielded items including chainsaws, a shovel, and a body bag. These findings align with digital records showing Burke had ordered these items online.
Byers detailed that Rivas Hernandez’s body was discovered in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to the musician after it was towed in September, approximately four and a half months after she was last seen. The court was shown photos of the remains found inside a body bag. The emotional toll of the proceedings was evident as the victim’s parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, remained in the courtroom. According to AP News coverage of the hearing.
For more on this story, see D4vd Faces Preliminary Hearing for Murder of 14-Year-Old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Witness Testimony and Legal Disputes
Tensions rose on Wednesday during the cross-examination of Benjamin Gregor, a money manager for Burke. When Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman questioned Gregor about Burke’s alleged activities with the teen—including trips to London and visits to nightclubs using fake identification—defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski lodged an angry objection, stating, Counsel is testifying!
Gregor testified that he knew Rivas Hernandez only by her first name and was unaware of the full extent of the relationship. The prosecution also introduced evidence regarding the victim’s passport, which was discovered by a road worker in a rural area of Santa Barbara County. Investigators claim data places Burke in that same location on two occasions: once in April 2025, immediately following the alleged killing, and again six weeks later.
Charges and Potential Outcomes
Burke, who has been in custody without bail since his arrest in April 2025, faces multiple felony charges, including first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and the mutilation of human remains. The preliminary hearing is intended to determine if there is sufficient probable cause for the case to proceed to trial.
If eventually convicted on the murder charge, the musician faces a potential sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. As the hearing continues, the court is expected to conclude its assessment of the evidence within the next few days. The family of Rivas Hernandez, who previously described her as a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance,
continues to seek justice as the legal process unfolds.
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