Prosecutors Say Singer D4vd Had Financial Motive in Killing of Teen; Forensics Detail Possible Blood, Decomposition

Prosecutors told a Los Angeles courtroom that forensic evidence and financial records point to a motive in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found last year in a Tesla registered to musician David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd.

Forensic Testimony Describes Possible Blood Traces and Decomposition

LAPD criminalists testified during a preliminary hearing that investigators detected what they described as possible blood traces—some only visible through forensic testing—on items recovered at Burke's former Hollywood Hills home, including a green tarp, black rubber mats and a crumpled inflatable pool that retained the scent of fresh laundry. Witnesses also described linear cuts on the rubber mats consistent with a sharp instrument.

In testimony about the 2023 Tesla Model X where Rivas Hernandez’s remains were found, a forensic scientist said the vehicle displayed signs of prolonged outdoor exposure, maggots and flies in the front trunk and a strong odor consistent with decomposition despite multiple air fresheners. Possible traces of blood were reported in the car’s third row. Defense counsel emphasized that some field tests were presumptive and do not definitively prove the presence of blood.

Evidence of Tools and Purchases

Testimony noted that two chainsaws were located in the garage of the home; laboratory testing did not detect blood on those saws. Prosecutors also displayed evidence they say links credit-card purchases to chainsaws, a body bag and a shovel. Investigators reported damage to the inflatable pool consistent with being cut.

Financial Motive Presented

Prosecutors sought to establish a financial motive, presenting testimony from a former Interscope executive and a payments summary indicating that from 2022 through 2025 the label paid Burke and affiliated entities more than $7.2 million. That total reportedly included legal fees and trust-account deposits required for underage performers; the label terminated Burke’s contract in December 2025. Prosecutors argued the potential impact on Burke’s rising career could have been a motive for silencing the teen.

Defense Response and Courtroom Scene

Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty to counts that include first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and mutilation of human remains. His attorneys have argued he was not the cause of Rivas Hernandez’s death and pressed forensic witnesses on the limits of presumptive testing. Burke has been held in custody without bail since his arrest in April.

Rivas Hernandez’s parents attended the hearing. Prosecutors showed the court a photograph of the teen’s passport, which a Caltrans employee found in January 2026 in a dirt embankment off State Route 154 in Santa Barbara. A preliminary hearing is expected to last three to five days as the judge determines whether there is probable cause to bind Burke over for trial.

Possible Penalties: If convicted of murder, Burke faces penalties up to the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole; prosecutors have not said whether they will seek capital punishment.

Note: The account above is drawn from courtroom testimony and evidence presented at a preliminary hearing. Charges are allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.