A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday there is sufficient evidence for Gen Z pop star D4vd to stand trial for the murder and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found decomposing in the trunk of his Tesla after five months.
David Anthony Burke, who performs under the stage name D4vd, faces additional charges of mutilating Hernandez’s corpse and performing continuous lewd and lascivious acts on a 13-year-old. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains held without bail.
Death Penalty Now Under Consideration
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters his office is weighing whether to seek capital punishment against the musician. “The crime that we are dealing with is incredibly horrific and barbaric,” Hochman said outside the courthouse following the ruling.
The decision follows a five-day preliminary hearing focused heavily on forensic evidence collected from Burke’s home and Tesla. Investigators found traces of what they determined to be Hernandez’s blood in the vehicle where her dismembered remains were discovered.
Five Months of Evidence Presented
Prosecutors presented evidence showing the 14-year-old’s body had been left in the car trunk for approximately five months before discovery. The preliminary hearing examined forensic findings from both Burke’s residence and vehicle, though Burke’s attorneys declined to comment on the judge’s decision to move forward with trial.
The case has drawn attention both for the severity of the charges and the defendant’s public profile as a musician with a Gen Z following. Burke will remain in custody without bail as the case proceeds to trial. No trial date has been set, and the district attorney’s office has not announced a timeline for deciding whether to pursue the death penalty.
Key Points
- Judge ruled sufficient evidence exists for D4vd (David Anthony Burke) to stand trial for murder and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez
- Los Angeles District Attorney weighing death penalty after calling crime “incredibly horrific and barbaric”
- Forensic evidence showed victim’s remains decomposed in Burke’s Tesla trunk for approximately five months before discovery
https://www.courthousenews.com/musician-d4vd-ordered-to-stand-trial-over-murder-of-14-year-old-celeste-hernandez/ – July 27, 2026
