D4vd Appears in Court as Prosecutors Reveal Evidence in Murder Case
D4vd sat impassively in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday as a prosecutor revealed his iCloud account, obtained by investigators, “contains a significant amount of child pornography.”
Despite the bombshell announcement, the platinum-selling singer, born David Anthony Burke, and his lawyers signaled they are still pushing for an immediate preliminary hearing in his first-degree murder case. The judge set a follow-up hearing for April 29 to review evidence production. The first day of his preliminary hearing, a mini-trial that will review evidence in open court, was scheduled for May 1.
“It’s been an informative hearing,” defense lawyer Marilyn Bednarski told the court during Burke’s second appearance before a judge. Burke’s other lawyer, Blair Berk, stood by his side as Judge Charlaine Olmedo warned the defendant to ensure he is present for his next scheduled appearance, noting the legal timeline for his preliminary hearing.
Burke was arrested last week and charged Monday with murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old California girl found dismembered and badly decomposed in the front trunk of his towed Tesla last September.
On Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman revealed that investigators utilized a wiretap as part of their probe. She further noted that three grand juries were convened to investigate the case between November and February.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner released a long-awaited autopsy report concluding that Rivas died from “multiple penetrating injuries” to the upper abdomen. The 26-page report details two stab wounds—one to the right abdomen that perforated the liver and another to the left chest that penetrated an intercostal space. “The cause of death is multiple penetrating injuries. The manner of death is classified as homicide,” the report states, noting the cause of death was determined on Dec. 9, 2025.
Toxicology testing found a low level of ethanol that did not appear to contribute to Rivas’ death and “presumptive” positives for benzodiazepines, methamphetamine, and MDMA, which would require further confirmation.
The report was released after law enforcement obtained a prior court order blocking its disclosure, a move the medical examiner’s office opposed, citing a need for transparency. “After several months, I am grateful this information can now be released,” the chief medical examiner, Dr. Odey Ukpo, said in a statement. “It is unfathomable [Rivas’ parents] have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter.”
The findings provide grim detail regarding the condition of Rivas’ remains. The report notes her limbs were “dismembered into several fragments,” her head was “partially skeletonized” with a missing eye, and soft tissue showed signs of “liquefication.” She could not be fingerprinted “due to waterlogged fingers.”
Burke has been charged with one count of first-degree murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait and financial gain, as well as separate counts involving sexual acts with a minor and mutilation of human remains. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. Prosecutors contend Rivas was last seen entering Burke’s Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, and was killed that day, with her body mutilated on or about May 5.
Burke’s lawyers said in a statement that their client “did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, and he was not the cause of her death.”
