A preliminary hearing for David Anthony Burke, the recording artist known professionally as d4vd, began Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in a Los Angeles courtroom, where county prosecutors are laying out their capital murder case in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The hearing, expected to conclude Thursday, July 23, will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to hold Burke for trial on charges of murder and sexual abuse. The hearing was initially expected to span four to five days, as indicated at an April 2026 scheduling proceeding before Judge Olmedo. The case had experienced several delays prior to the July 2026 hearing, in part due to the voluminous amount of investigatory evidence.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office formally charged Burke with capital murder in April 2026, according to the DA's own press release. The charge carries the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole upon conviction. Burke, 21, has been held in custody without bail since his arrest in April 2026 and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors accuse Burke of stabbing Hernandez to death at his Los Angeles residence. According to their account, the motive was to silence Hernandez from divulging the sexual nature of their relationship as Burke's music career was rising. Prosecutors say Burke and Hernandez began a sexual relationship in November 2023, when Burke was 18 and Hernandez was 13.

At the time of his arrest, Burke's defense team issued a statement that he "was not the cause" of Hernandez's death. At a July 7, 2026 status hearing, both prosecution and defense attorneys told the judge they were ready to move forward toward trial.

The prosecution's evidentiary presentation, as planned, is structured around several categories of forensic and circumstantial evidence. Prosecutors intended to exhibit text messages between Burke and Hernandez that they say demonstrate their alleged sexual relationship and Hernandez threatening to expose him. Surveillance video of Burke last driving the Tesla in July 2025 was also slated for presentation, as was evidence of Burke's purchases of a body bag and two chainsaws. Forensic evidence linking blood stains in Burke's garage to Hernandez's genetic profile was among the physical evidence prosecutors planned to introduce.

Prosecutors allege Burke mutilated Hernandez's body by sawing her limbs with a chainsaw and amputating her ring finger, which bore a tattoo of his name. According to the prosecution, Burke discarded Hernandez's dismembered limbs in the Tesla.

The case came to law enforcement's attention through a tow yard in Hollywood. In September 2025, the manager of the tow yard alerted authorities after noticing a pungent odor emanating from a Tesla and the presence of flies. Los Angeles police subsequently found Celeste Rivas Hernandez's decomposed remains in the Tesla, which was impounded at the tow yard. The vehicle was registered to Burke's name.

Burke rose to popularity through viral TikTok singles and launched an international tour in support of his debut album, "Withered," in July 2025. The tour was cancelled in September 2025, the same month Hernandez's remains were discovered in the Tesla. Several of Burke's former collaborators distanced themselves from him following the discovery.

Hernandez's family released a statement in April 2026 eulogizing her, describing her as "a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance" and stating, "All we want is justice for Celeste."

The case has drawn attention not only for the severity of the charges but for the high-profile status of the defendant, whose streaming success and international touring schedule placed him among a newer generation of artists whose careers are built primarily through social media virality rather than traditional label development pipelines. The intersection of that rapid rise with the timeline of the alleged crimes means the prosecution's narrative places the establishment of the relationship, the killing, and the discovery of remains along a continuum that partially overlaps with Burke's ascent in the music industry.

A key element to monitor as the hearing proceeds is how the defense responds to the prosecution's physical evidence, particularly the forensic linkage of blood in Burke's garage to Hernandez's genetic profile and the documented purchases of a body bag and chainsaws. The defense's April statement that Burke "was not the cause" of Hernandez's death is a narrow formulation that does not directly contest the dismemberment allegations, leaving open the question of what affirmative defense Burke's legal team will mount if the case proceeds to trial. The Guardian

The preliminary hearing's conclusion on July 23 will determine whether Judge Olmedo finds probable cause to bind Burke over for trial on the capital murder charge. Given the volume of evidence and the four-to-five-day estimate from April proceedings, the hearing's schedule remains tight.