Forensic details emerge at D4vd murder hearing
A Los Angeles court has heard detailed forensic testimony about the discovery of a teenager's remains in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd, who is accused of her murder.
A preliminary hearing in Los Angeles has begun for singer D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, with prosecutors presenting graphic forensic evidence alleging he murdered and dismembered a 14-year-old girl. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and sexual abuse.
Police criminalist Chelsea Murillo testified that the Tesla Model X containing Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s decomposing remains was filled with at least 11 air fresheners. Murillo noted a strong odour resembling a decomposing body when processing the vehicle, with fly larvae found engulfing one freshener near the front storage compartment. The victim’s torso, head, and severed limbs were discovered inside bags in that compartment last September, after she was reported missing in April 2024.
Further testimony detailed the alleged crime scene at Burke’s rental home. Criminologist Lauren Wallace told the court that traces of blood were found on garage floor mats, a rowing machine, and a green tarp. An inflatable pool, which prosecutors allege Burke used to collect blood during the dismemberment, had been wiped down with dryer sheets but still yielded a positive reaction to a blood-detecting chemical spray.
The connection between the victim and the suspect was a focus of the second day of the hearing. Criminalist Samantha Tosch testified that a trash bag in the garage contained DNA from four people, including Burke. A blood-stained wipe found inside that bag contained DNA that was "three trillion times more likely" to belong to Hernandez than an unknown person.
Defense lawyer Blair Berk challenged the prosecution's forensic narrative. Berk pointed out that only two swabs from the vehicle tested positive for blood DNA, and neither came from the passenger compartment. During cross-examination, Tosch acknowledged that DNA can be transferred without direct contact, while Berk questioned the reliability of the software used by the Los Angeles Police Department to isolate Burke's DNA from a mixture of four people.
Prosecutors have alleged Burke stabbed Hernandez and used a chainsaw to dispose of her body because she threatened to expose their relationship and ruin his music career. The court was shown images of a red-ink "Celeste" tattoo on Burke's ring finger, alongside matching "Shhh..." tattoos on his hand and the victim's. A separate photo showed a severed hand missing the ring and little finger.
Despite claims that Burke purchased chainsaws and a body bag online after the death, Wallace confirmed investigators did not swab the two chainsaws in the garage because they did not appear used. A third electric saw found upstairs tested negative for blood. The hearing, which will determine if the case proceeds to trial, continues.
