Preliminary hearing reveals D4vd allegedly murdered 14-year-old after pregnancy, abortion

A Los Angeles judge is weighing whether rapper D4vd (David Anthony Burke) will stand trial for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández, whose dismembered body was found in his Tesla in September 2025. During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented evidence that the teenager had become pregnant and underwent an abortion in January 2024, months before her death.

The relationship and pregnancy

According to testimony from LAPD Detective Corey Farrell, D4vd met Celeste online when she was 11 and began a sexual relationship when she was 13 and he was 18. Text messages shown in court revealed conversations about her pregnancy and abortion. In one exchange, Burke apologized and asked if the baby was his; she replied, “Por supuesto que es tuyo, David” Source: infobae.

The murder and cover-up

Prosecutors allege that on April 23, 2025, Celeste was picked up from Lake Elsinore and brought to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home. After an argument—during which she threatened to reveal their relationship—Burke stabbed her multiple times Source: listindiario. He then used a rented car to purchase items including a chainsaw, shovel, inflatable pool, and body bag, ordering them under an alias but paying with his own cards Source: lavozar. Blood matching Celeste’s DNA was found in his garage. Her body was later discovered in the front trunk of his abandoned Tesla, with a blue tarp residue consistent with the inflatable pool Source: lavozar.

Courtroom reactions

Burke remained stoic when explicit photos of the victim were shown. His defense maintains his innocence and argues the body bag could not be forensically linked to him due to decomposition Source: excelsiormx. The judge is expected to rule on probable cause soon; if bound over for trial, prosecutors may seek the death penalty Source: excelsiormx.