Family Nightmare: The parents of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez were shocked when prosecutors unveiled graphic photographs of their daughter’s dismembered body during D4vd’s preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors presented the disturbing images, showing a torso and head recovered from the trunk of a Tesla that had been registered to singer David Anthony Burke, known on stage as D4vd, in Hollywood.
Detective Joshua Byers testified that Burke had ordered a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool, and a shovel online in the days following Celeste’s death, suggesting the tools were used to hide the crime.
The case moves beyond the hearing to a trial, but prosecutors seek to persuade the judge there is sufficient evidence to proceed to jury trial.
Burke, 21, maintains a not‑guilty plea to charges of murder and sexual abuse.
For Celeste’s parents, no amount of preparation had prepared them for the raw details; one lawyer explained they had been warned that the images could not be reversed, yet they chose to stay to support their daughter.
The courtroom, a downtown Los Angeles meeting hall, sat packed with journalists, content creators, and the public, all keen to see the urgent evidence presented.
Images of Burke, shackled to a chair in an orange jail uniform, were spread across a screen as the detective walked the court through each frame, pausing to check if the parents were comfortable before proceeding.
While the proceedings unfolded, the prosecution highlighted tattoo evidence: a red‑ink “Celeste” on Burke’s ring finger and a “Shhh…” on his other finger, mirroring similar marks found on Celeste.
The court also reviewed purchase orders delivered to Burke’s address under an alias, finding accounts tied to the incriminating tools claims.
The preliminary hearing is expected to last several days, with further witnesses to be called to solidify the case before advancing to a jury trial.
