A judge ruled that singer D4vd must stand trial for allegedly killing and dismembering a 14-year-old girl.
On Monday, Los Angeles Judge Charlaine Olmedo determined during a preliminary hearing that there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial. “The people have met their burden on all counts,” said Olmedo during the conclusion of the hearing, reports AP. D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, will continue to be held without bail.
The preliminary hearing began last Tuesday with prosecutors showing grisly photos taken from the crime scene where the body of the victim, Celeste Rivas Hernandez, was found in September 2025. The pictures showed her dismembered body parts in the front trunk of Burke’s Tesla. Prosecutors claimed that Burke had purchased two cadaver bags, a shovel and three different chainsaws following Hernandez’s murder.
Throughout the week, prosecutors laid out various allegations and findings. They claimed that nearly a dozen air fresheners were found in the Tesla where Hernandez’s body was discovered, and an LAPD Criminalist stated that blood found inside Burke’s garage was consistent with Rivas’ DNA, according to People. Prosecutors also alleged that Hernandez and Burke texted about terminating a pregnancy when she was 14 years old, and messages shown in court on Monday suggested that Hernandez threatened to destroy Burke’s career before her death. After prosecution rested, Burke’s defense team chose not to call any witnesses.
