Today’s hearing is for prosecutors to present evidence they say links the 21-year-old singer to the teenager’s death, and to convince a judge a trial should take place.
The body of Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found in the car of singer D4vd after being missing for more than a year. Photo / GoFundMe
They claim Burke stabbed Celeste before dismembering her body with a chainsaw to conceal the killing after years of alleged sexual abuse, with the killing prompted by her threats to reveal his relationship with a minor and destroy his multimillion-dollar music career, the BBC reported.
Celeste’s parents had been warned one image showed her torso and head in the boot of the car, and that the prosecutor had to ask what it was because “you could not tell it was a head”, their lawyer Patrick Steinfield told the BBC after the hearing.
“They’re at a loss for words, and they’re just trying to do the best they can.”
Both parents insisted on remaining in court when the gruesome images were shown, Steinfield said.
“I encouraged them to step out for a short period of time, and they decided no – they wanted to be here to show they’re supporting their daughter … it’s a parent’s worst nightmare.”
David Anthony Burke, known by his stage name D4vd, in a publicity photo taken before he was charged with the murder and sexual abuse of a teenage girl. Burke denies the charges.
Burke, wearing an orange jail uniform, arrived in the courtroom shackled at the wrists and ankles.
His handcuffs were removed, but he remained chained to his chair throughout the hearing, the BBC reported.
The singer-songwriter who rose to fame with viral hits on TikTok, where he amassed a following in the millions and secured record deals, briefly smiled at members of his defence team.
He quietly responded to the judge with “Good morning, Your Honour”, and “Yes, Your Honour”.
But the atmosphere shifted dramatically once Detective Joshua Byers began his testimony, the BBC reported.
After Celeste’s body was found in the Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard, Byers described opening a cadaver bag inside and finding decomposing human remains, including a torso and a head.
A rubbish bag underneath contained severed limbs, he said.
Singer D4vd – real name David Anthony Burke – and Celeste Rivas Hernandez were pictured together in a January 2024 live stream. Photo / Daily Mail
The court also heard evidence showing purchases delivered to Burke’s address under an alias after Celeste’s death, including chainsaws, body bags and an inflatable pool.
Tattoos prosecutors say connected Burke and Celeste were also part of the hearing.
Photos of a red-ink tattoo reading “Celeste” on Burke’s left ring finger, and a “Shhh …” tattoo on his right index finger were shown to the judge.
A photo of Celeste with a similar “Shhh …” tattoo on her right index finger was also shown, with another picture of a hand where the ring and little finger were cut off, the BBC reported.
The preliminary hearing is expected to last several days.