The opening day of D4vd’s preliminary hearing provided a deeper look into the evidence prosecutors say backs their murder case against the singer. The proceedings included body camera footage from the early stages of the investigation, along with testimony regarding the discovery of the remains of a missing California teenager.
David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old artist better known as D4vd, appeared in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday as prosecutors began presenting their case, according to Yahoo News. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, lewd acts involving a child under 14, and mutilation of human remains.
One piece of evidence shown during the hearing was body camera footage from February 2024, following the disappearance of 13-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. In the footage, D4vd told investigators he had only met the teenager once and said he believed she was 18 years old. Testimony also revealed that he allowed deputies to search the Hollywood Hills home where he was staying, but investigators did not find anything connecting Rivas Hernandez to the property at that time.
Prosecutors argued that Burke’s statements did not align with evidence they later discovered. They allege that he and Rivas Hernandez had an ongoing relationship before her death in April 2025 and claim she was killed after allegedly threatening to reveal the relationship. Those claims have not been proven in court, and Burke’s attorneys have denied that he was involved in her death.
The hearing also featured testimony from a Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective, who detailed the discovery of Rivas Hernandez’s remains inside a Tesla registered to Burke after the vehicle was taken to an impound lot in September 2025. Prosecutors presented photographs of the discovery as part of their evidence, including images showing the teenager’s mutilated remains.
The preliminary hearing is expected to continue over several days as prosecutors present additional evidence. Once the proceedings conclude, a judge will decide whether enough evidence exists for the case to proceed to trial. Burke remains in custody without bail.
