Prosecutors say blood found on a rowing machine, a garage floor mat and a Tesla charger from singer D4vd’s Hollywood Hills home likely came from 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was discovered in his Tesla last fall. LAPD testimony described the DNA match as overwhelmingly likely to be the victim’s. Defense attorneys have questioned why some items were not tested and pointed out multiple residents at the home; investigators say cell and Tesla data place Burke near where the victim’s passport was found in January 2026. A preliminary hearing is underway to determine probable cause and is expected to finish early next week.
Forensic Tests Indicate Blood From 14-Year-Old Found on Items in D4vd’s Home, Prosecutors Say
David Anthony Burke, known as D4vd, has been charged with the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.Photograph: Bill Robles/AP
Prosecutors told a Los Angeles court Thursday that blood detected on items recovered from the Hollywood Hills home of singer D4vd likely originated from 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose decomposed body was found last fall in the musician’s Tesla.
Court Testimony and Forensic Evidence
Authorities allege D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, fatally stabbed Rivas Hernandez last year to prevent her from revealing the sexual nature of their relationship as his career rose. A preliminary hearing this week is examining whether there is probable cause for Burke to face trial on charges including first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and mutilation of human remains. Burke has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
On Thursday, LAPD criminalist Samantha Tosch testified that samples taken from a rowing machine, a rubber garage floor mat and a Tesla charger were, in her words, "one septillion times more likely to occur if it originated from Celeste rather than anyone else in the population."
"The DNA results show an extremely high statistical likelihood that the biological material came from the victim," Tosch testified.
Defense Scrutinizes Evidence Selection
Defense attorneys pressed officials on how items were chosen for testing. Lawyer Blair Berk questioned another LAPD criminalist, Lauren Wallace, about why items such as chainsaws in Burke’s garage were not analyzed, and raised the point that multiple people lived at the residence—potentially introducing other DNA sources.
Passport Discovery and Location Data
Separately, California Highway Patrol officer Sean Buenrostro testified that a Caltrans worker found a passport bearing Rivas Hernandez’s name and photo in January 2026 on a dirt embankment off a rural stretch of State Route 154 in Santa Barbara. During cross-examination, defense counsel Regina Peter asked whether natural events, such as weather, could explain how the passport came to be there.
LAPD detective William Roecker told the court that cellular data and Tesla system records place Burke in the area where the passport was later located.
Next Steps
The preliminary hearing will determine whether sufficient probable cause exists for the case to proceed to trial and is expected to conclude early next week. The Associated Press contributed reporting.
Help us improve.
