Text messages between singer D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez, shown in court Friday, revealed she had become pregnant and had an abortion more than a year before she was killed.In an exchange in early January 2024, D4vd (whose legal name is David Burke) apologized for “putting her through this.”
SMS revealed Celeste Rivas Hernandez is pregnant
“It doesn’t matter,” she texted, “neither of us has the ability to watch and care for the kids. It’s for the best, isn’t it?”He apologized again and asked if it was his, to which she replied “of course it’s yours”.The testimony came during a preliminary hearing where a judge will decide whether Burke should stand trial for murder.
Pictures, texts and photos presented in court
Prosecutors spent part of Friday afternoon detailing the nature of the relationship between Burke and Rivas-Hernandez, showing graphic sexual photos of the two of them.The images were recovered from his iPhone, which was confiscated during a search of his home. Text message conversations obtained from his iCloud account frequently discussed birth control and pregnancy, and in early January 2024, they discussed her abortion.
Prosecutors say D4vd ‘sexually abused’ underage victims
Prosecutors are seeking to prove that Burke began sexually abusing Rivas Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18, then stabbed her to death when she threatened to reveal their lengthy sexual history and ruin his career. They claimed he dismembered the body in the garage, and a police analyst testified at a preliminary hearing that samples taken from apparent blood stains there matched Rivas Hernandez’s DNA.
Doctor reveals murder details
The doctor who performed the autopsy on 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez recounted the difficult details of her death Friday at a hearing to determine whether singer D4vd should stand trial for killing her.Much of what Dr. Grant Ho of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Department said on the witness stand is already known: She died from two sharp-force injuries to her upper body, and her dismembered, decomposed body was found in the trunk of a Tesla.But the details he shared of the autopsy results – which made it clear that the autopsy was inconclusive due to the severity of her body when it was found – make Friday’s proceedings perhaps the most difficult yet. Post-mortem photos show seats in the courtroom shifting uncomfortably and people whispering.The defense used the uncertainty to suggest there could be other causes of death, including overdose or self-inflicted harm.Autopsy conclusions are difficult to drawMr Ho testified that he could not tell when death occurred – one of the many challenges posed by the degeneration of the body.“It’s hard to say,” He said.He said she had been dead for “at least a few weeks,” later adding that she could have been dead for several months. Authorities believe she was killed in April 2025; her body was found last September.
Murder of Celeste Rivas
In September, Rivas Hernandez’s body was found in a Tesla towed from the Hollywood Hills, nearly five months after authorities said he was killed.Rivas Hernandez was discovered the day after her 15th birthday.“She didn’t live to see her 15th birthday, right?” Silverman asked. “Correct.” Mr. He replied.Ho said there were numerous “skin defects” after death, but two wounds he identified as potential stab wounds were related to internal injuries. A gash in her abdomen pierced her liver. The other was on the left breast, damaging her ribs.He said it would take “at least a few minutes” for someone to bleed to death from their injuries. Prosecutors claimed in a court filing that Burke “stood by as she bled out.” When pressed, he said it could take an hour but wouldn’t commit to that.
Defense seizes on inconclusive drug test
He testified that because no blood was available, only toxicology tests were performed on her liver, which showed low levels of alcohol, possibly caused by bacteria after death. Tests initially came back positive for benzodiazepines, drugs commonly used to treat anxiety, and methamphetamine, he said. He said further testing came back negative for benzodiazepines. The jury is still out on methamphetamine, so “I can’t say it played any role in the death,” Ho said.“Burke’s attorney, Marilyn Bednarski, asked whether disaggregation could affect the accuracy of drug test results, and Ho agreed it could.“There’s not enough information in the toxicology report to support an overdose death, is there?” Bednarski asked. Teacher He said she was right.Bednarski asked whether it would be helpful during an autopsy to talk to friends and family of the deceased about their lives — whether they had mental health issues, were suicidal, used drugs or were violent.Mr. Ho answered “maybe” to every question but said there was no such conversation in this case.Mr. He said he did not know whether there was a struggle before death or where the wounds came from.“Can’t you rule out that the instrument she was holding caused these two wounds?” Bednarski asked.Ho said self-injury often involves peripheral superficial “marks of hesitation” but these were not found but beyond that he could not disclose.
D4vd on trial for murder?
Burke could stand trial for murder, mutilation and sexual abuseProsecutors are seeking to prove that Burke began sexually abusing Rivas Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18, then stabbed her to death when she threatened to reveal their lengthy sexual history and ruin his career. They claimed he dismembered the body in the garage, and a police analyst testified at a preliminary hearing that samples taken from apparent blood stains there matched Rivas Hernandez’s DNA.
D4vd not guilty
A preliminary hearing begins Tuesday, which the judge will use to decide whether the case should go to trial.Burke has pleaded not guilty to murder, child sexual abuse and mutilation, and his lawyers have said he is innocent.
