Updated
Updated · St. Louis American · Aug 3
Hearing Details Evidence Against d4vd in 14-Year-Old's Murder as Judge Weighs Trial
Updated
Updated · St. Louis American · Aug 3

Hearing Details Evidence Against d4vd in 14-Year-Old's Murder as Judge Weighs Trial

3 articles · Updated · St. Louis American · Aug 3

Summary

  • Prosecutors at a preliminary hearing outlined blood stains in d4vd's garage, chainsaw purchases and explicit texts they say tie the 21-year-old singer to Celeste Rivas Hernandez's killing.
  • Testimony said the messages showed a sexual relationship when Hernandez was 13, and prosecutors argued he killed the 14-year-old after she threatened to expose it and hurt his career.
  • Los Angeles court proceedings this week also included body-camera footage from a home search and graphic images of Hernandez's dismembered body, found in the trunk of d4vd's Tesla in September 2025.
  • Judge is now deciding whether the evidence is sufficient to send David Burke, who has pleaded not guilty, to trial on murder, child sexual abuse and mutilation charges.

Insights

How much will texts, chainsaw purchases, and disputed forensic traces matter when d4vd faces trial over Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s death?
What unanswered gaps remain after the ruling that sends d4vd to trial in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez?