accused of killing<\/a> and dismembering the teenage girl to prevent her from disclosing details about their relationship ahead of the release of his album, prosecutors said. Meanwhile, d4vd\u2019s attorney has previously said \u201cthe actual evidence in this case\u201d will show he didn\u2019t kill Celeste, and that \u201che was not the cause of her death.\u201d He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and mutilating human remains.\n <\/p>\n\n Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo said in court that prosecutors met the burden of evidence for the charges and special circumstances, and she set an arraignment for August 31. She also said d4vd would be held without bail.\n <\/p>\n
\n A trial date could be scheduled as early as 60 days after the preliminary hearing, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court Monday.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe believe that the evidence at trial will be overwhelming to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt on the three charges with which Mr. Burke will be charged,\u201d Hochman said, adding his office \u201cpresented a significant but small fraction of our evidence\u201d over the past week.\n <\/p>\n
\n An attorney for d4vd declined to comment on the judge\u2019s decision.\n <\/p>\n
\n The case against d4vd, a rising star who had already performed at high-profile events such as Coachella and on \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d, drew widespread attention because of his fame, the gruesome nature of Celeste\u2019s death and her age. The car had been abandoned for months before the remains of the teenager \u2014 who had since been reported missing \u2014 were found while d4vd was on a world tour.\n <\/p>\n
\n Olmedo was the sole decider on whether a probable cause standard was met in the case. The standard is different than the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt legal burden of proof needed during a trial for a criminal conviction, Hochman previously told reporters. Prosecutors were not obligated at the preliminary hearing to show all the evidence they intend to present at trial, and they could rely on certain evidence, such as hearsay, that is not allowed in that space, he said.\n <\/p>\n
\n Celeste\u2019s parents were in the courtroom \u201cto show strength\u201d for their daughter, family attorney Patrick Steinfeld said.\n <\/p>\n
\n The parents were present as the prosecutor showed images of Celeste\u2019s mutilated remains that were found in two bags in the Tesla after it was moved to a Hollywood tow lot.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThere was an image of Celeste\u2019s torso and her head in the trunk of the car, and the prosecutor had to ask what it was. Because you could not tell it was a head,\u201d Steinfeld said.\n <\/p>\n
\n As they were displayed, Celeste\u2019s mother lowered her head and started crying, Steinfeld said. It was the first time the teenager\u2019s family saw how their daughter was found, he said. The family left the courtroom during later hearings that discussed Celeste\u2019s autopsy and text messages between Celeste and d4vd.\n <\/p>\n
\n As the prosecutor delved into the specifics of the evidence they have so far, the attorneys representing d4vd spent time questioning how evidence was collected. Defense attorney Blair Berk asked why several items found in the home d4vd stayed at, including two chainsaws, were not kept as evidence.\n <\/p>\n
\n The two chainsaws were tested, but there was no indication blood was on them, Los Angeles Police Department Det. Joshua Byers and a forensic criminalist testified.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cSpeaking to the criminalist, if those chainsaws were used to dismember a body, there would be no way they couldn\u2019t have blood\u201d on them, Byers said while testifying Tuesday. Records show d4vd purchased a third chainsaw, but it was never recovered, he said.\n <\/p>\n
\n Other evidence discussed included a blue inflatable pool, which prosecutors allege d4vd used to prevent Celeste\u2019s blood from spilling onto the garage floor, according to a brief filed in court, as well as DNA test results from potential blood samples found on several items in the house that showed a high probability of being from Celeste. Berk also noted during questioning the DNA could have been from a long time ago, or \u201ca secondary transfer.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n The prosecutor showed records from a cellphone connected to d4vd that they say helped show his movements in the month after when prosecutors think Celeste died, as well as sexually explicit photos and text messages between Celeste and d4vd found on d4vd\u2019s phone and iCloud account.\n <\/p>\n
\n Prosecutors also presented text messages from April 23, 2025, the date they believe she was killed.\n <\/p>\n
\n The two made plans that afternoon for d4vd to send an Uber to pick Celeste up and take her to his house, according to texts that prosecutors presented in court. The prosecution alleged d4vd lured Celeste to his home with intent to kill, while the defense pointed to texts showing Celeste asked for the meeting after becoming upset and threatening as the relationship was deteriorating.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cI swear to GOD I will kill u,\u201d Celeste texted d4vd the day before, on April 22, after expressing jealousy over his friendship with another girl. \u201cI will end ur career.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Prosecutors said the text merely reflects a minor being manipulated by a legal adult.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe have a minor who was sexually abused. \u2026 She was taught to believe that she was being gaslit,\u201d said Deputy DA Beth Silverman. \u201cAll of this is very obvious grooming of a young victim who really doesn\u2019t know what is in store for her.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n At 10:02 p.m. on April 23, she texted d4vd she was on the way, writing, \u201cGirly pop, im almost there open ur door if ur home,\u201d according to texts prosecutors presented in court.\n <\/p>\n
\n The gate was opened and the door unlocked at 10:10, according to prosecutors\u2019 evidence.\n <\/p>\n
\n It was the last text sent from Celeste\u2019s phone, LAPD Det. Corey Farell told the court, later testifying investigators believe Celeste was killed between 10:10 and 10:31 p.m. That\u2019s when d4vd begins texting her again, asking where she is and whether she was blocking his messages.\n <\/p>\n
\n D4vd\u2019s cellphone and car left the property around 11:30 p.m., an LAPD cellular analyst testified, saying records from d4vd\u2019s Tesla put him in a remote area of Santa Barbara County where Celeste\u2019s ID was eventually found alongside a highway.\n <\/p>\n
\n The next text from d4vd to Celeste\u2019s phone was at 11:41 p.m., saying \u201cwtf,\u201d and at midnight, he texted, \u201cWhere are u\u2026 please.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Prosecutors say d4vd\u2019s texts to Celeste\u2019s phone were an attempt to build a defense after they claim he killed her.\n <\/p>\n
\n Speaking outside court after the judge\u2019s ruling, Steinfeld said the family is grateful the preliminary hearing is over and the case is going to trial.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe family is relieved that it\u2019s done with,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to take a break, and they appreciate the hard work that the district attorney\u2019s office has done, as well as the investigation by LAPD investigators.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n This story has been updated with additional information.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Los Angeles\u00a0\u2014\u00a0 A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday there is enough evidence to move forward in the murder…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":830328,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[49,48,75],"class_list":["post-830327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/830327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=830327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/830327\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/830328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=830327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=830327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=830327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}