A probable-cause hearing entered its second day on July 22, 2026, to determine whether David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old singer known professionally as D4vd, will stand trial for the murder and sexual abuse of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Burke pleaded not guilty in April 2026 to charges including first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and mutilation of human remains (Los Angeles Times).

A probable-cause hearing functions as a legal filter. The judge does not decide guilt or innocence at this stage. Instead, the question is whether enough evidence exists for a reasonable person to believe the defendant committed the charged offenses — a lower bar than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard required at trial. If the judge finds probable cause, the case moves forward to arraignment on the information (a formal re-statement of charges) and trial scheduling.

Prosecutors allege Burke stabbed Rivas Hernandez to death at his Los Angeles residence and then used a chainsaw to dismember her body (Los Angeles Times). The alleged motive, according to prosecutors, was to silence Rivas Hernandez from revealing the sexual nature of their relationship and endangering Burke's career (The Guardian). Attorney Beth Silverman, representing the Rivas Hernandez family, has alleged that Burke covered up a lengthy pattern of sexual abuse of the victim (Los Angeles Times). A prosecutor said in court on April 23, 2026, that a device belonging to Burke contained "child pornography" (Los Angeles Times).

LAPD criminalist Lauren Wallace testified that law enforcement detected possible bloodstains — invisible to the naked eye — on a green tarp, black rubber mats, and a crumpled inflatable pool at Burke's former Hollywood Hills home. The inflatable pool bore the odor of fresh laundry and appeared to have been cut. Rubber mats covering the garage floor likely had blood stains, and linear cuts consistent with a sharp object were found on the mats. Two chainsaws recovered from the garage both tested negative for possible blood. A detective testified that D4vd ordered chainsaws and body bags (AP News).

LAPD criminalist Chelsea Murillo examined the 2023 black Tesla Model X in which Rivas Hernandez's body was found, a vehicle registered to Burke. The Tesla's exterior had a layer of dust suggesting prolonged outdoor exposure. Maggots and flies were observed in the front trunk. A strong odor resembling a decomposing body emanated from the vehicle despite multiple air fresheners. Possible traces of blood were found in the third row.

Defense attorney Blair Berk pressed Murillo on the forensic blood testing, noting it was "only presumptive" and did not confirm blood. Murillo agreed. Presumptive tests use chemical reagents that react to substances associated with blood, but they can also respond to other materials, which is why confirmatory DNA and serological (bodily fluid) analysis is typically reserved for trial. The defense has stated their client "was not the cause" of Rivas Hernandez's death (The Guardian).

The financial dimension of the prosecution's case centered on Burke's relationship with Interscope Records. An Interscope executive testified that Burke had a multimillion-dollar recording deal. From 2022 to 2025, Interscope paid Burke and affiliated entities more than $7.2 million, a figure including legal fees and a trust mandated by California law for underage entertainers. Interscope terminated Burke's contract in December 2025. Burke's former financial manager Benjamin Gregor was questioned about whether he knew of Burke arranging tickets for Rivas Hernandez to travel to London and Texas (The Guardian).

Rivas Hernandez's parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, attended the hearing dressed in black, seated in the first row with their lawyer. Martinez dropped her head and wiped her eyes when prosecutors displayed a photograph of her daughter's passport, which was discovered by a Caltrans employee in January 2026 in a dirt area. The July 2026 evidentiary hearing was a daylong proceeding during which Burke sat quietly (Reuters.

The defense's emphasis on the presumptive nature of the blood testing follows a clear strategy: narrowing the evidentiary record before a jury ever sees it. At this stage, forensic findings typically remain presumptive, so the defense is drawing attention to the gap between preliminary testing and confirmed results.

The financial testimony serves a dual purpose. It establishes the scale of what prosecutors frame as the stake Burke stood to lose, and it traces the infrastructure of travel and access that allegedly connected Burke to Rivas Hernandez across state and international lines. Gregor's questioning about travel tickets to London and Texas, combined with the discovery of the victim's passport in a remote area, sketches the outline of a cross-jurisdictional pattern that prosecutors may seek to develop further.

Burke was arraigned on murder charges in Los Angeles in April 2026 (NBC News). A preliminary hearing had initially been set for June 2026 (Los Angeles Times), with Burke facing murder and rape charges at the July 2026 hearing (Los Angeles Times). If the court finds probable cause, the case proceeds to arraignment on the information and trial scheduling.