Courtrooms rarely hide much once prosecutors start pulling data from iCloud accounts. During the high-profile preliminary hearing for musician David Anthony Burke, better known as the singer D4vd, investigators laid out a grim timeline. Text messages presented in court exposed that 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez had become pregnant and undergone an abortion more than a year before she was killed.
The details emerging from Los Angeles courtrooms shatter any surface-level view of this tragedy. Prosecutors allege a dark narrative of long-term grooming, exploitation, and ultimately a brutal cover-up. Let us break down what the latest evidence actually shows, what the defense is arguing, and why this case is capturing national attention.
The Text Message Evidence
Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Farell took the stand to walk through digital records recovered from Burke's devices. According to the testimony, Burke and Hernandez first connected online when she was just 11 years old and he was 16. Authorities state their physical relationship began shortly after her thirteenth birthday.
By January 2024, text exchanges showed the young girl was pregnant. Transcripts read aloud in court revealed Burke apologizing for putting her through the situation. Hernandez responded that neither of them was capable of caring for a baby and agreed it was for the best. When Burke asked if the child was his, she answered directly that of course it was.
Prosecutors are using these messages to cement a pattern of ongoing sexual abuse. They argue the relationship lasted years, predating the horrific events that led to Hernandez's death.
The Murder Charges and Investigation Timeline
The investigation blew wide open on September 8, 2025. Officers responded to a Hollywood tow yard following complaints about a foul odor coming from an impounded Tesla Model X. Inside the front trunk, authorities discovered the severely decomposed and dismembered remains of Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Investigators believe she was killed in April 2025, just months before her fifteenth birthday. The state's theory is chilling. Prosecutors claim Burke murdered her because she threatened to expose their history, which would have ruined his burgeoning music career.
Forensic evidence presented at the hearing painted a gruesome picture. Analysts found DNA matching Hernandez on multiple items, including apparent blood stains in Burke's garage. Testimony from LA County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Grant Ho confirmed she suffered sharp force trauma, including wounds that penetrated her liver and ribs.
Defense Strategy and Disputed Facts
Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and mutilating human remains. His legal team has consistently denied the allegations.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys targeted the uncertainties inherent in a badly decomposed body. They pressed medical examiners on toxicology reports and alternative possibilities for death, trying to introduce reasonable doubt regarding the exact timeline and cause. They also emphasized Burke's initial willingness to speak with law enforcement when welfare checks were first conducted at his home.
Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo faces the task of weighing whether probable cause exists to send the case forward to a full trial. The stakes could not be higher. Burke faces potential life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if convicted on the special circumstance allegations.
The digital trail left behind in iCloud backups and text histories has given investigators a window into a hidden world. As the preliminary hearing wraps up, the public waits to see if the evidence will officially clear the bar for trial.
D4vd Case: Authorities Share If Celeste Rivas Hernandez Was Pregnant
This video provides additional context and updates regarding the official statements and court disclosures surrounding the pregnancy evidence in the D4vd investigation.
