In brief
During the first day of the preliminary hearing for singer‑turned‑suspect D4vd, prosecutors unveiled raw crime‑scene photographs of 14‑year‑old Celeste Hernandez’s dismembered body. The images shocked victims’ parents, who had long prepared for trauma but never expected the graphic detail presented in court. The evidence also revealed that D4vd purchased a chainsaw, body bags, a shovel and an inflatable pool online after the death, a fact prosecutors say ties him to the disposal of the body. Testimony highlighted a tattoo connecting D4vd to Celeste, underscoring the alleged sexual‑abuse relationship, and prosecutors are looking to use the graphic evidence to persuade a judge that the case merits a jury trial.
On Thursday, the opening of the Los Angeles preliminary hearing for singer David Anthony Burke, known online as D4vd, brought shocking crime‑scene images to the courtroom. Prosecutors displayed photographs of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body—after she was found in a Tesla in Hollywood in September 2025—showing a torso, head, and severed limbs in black bags. The graphic clarity of the images surprised Celeste’s parents, who had been warned of potential distress. Their attorney confirmed their disbelief, describing the scenes as “absolutely deplorable.”
Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and sexual abuse, but prosecutors argue that the pieces of evidence they presented link him directly to the death. They say Burke flayed Hernandez’s body with a chainsaw to hide the crime, following a history of alleged sexual misconduct. Investigators also highlighted purchases made through alias accounts, including a chainsaw, body bags, a shovel and an inflatable pool—all items ostensibly used to dispose of the body.
During testimony, Detective Joshua Byers described finding the remains inside the vehicle’s trunk, noting that the body had decomposed so far the face was no longer recognizable. He indicated that the public was repeatedly cautioned about the forthcoming images, though both parents ultimately chose to stay in the courtroom to support their child.
The preliminary hearing is scheduled to span several days, during which prosecutors intend to bring additional witnesses to build enough evidence for a possible jury trial. The court also confronted a tattoo connected to D4vd—a red‑ink “Celeste” on his left ring finger and a “Shhh…” on his right index finger—matching similar marks found on the victim’s body.
The courtroom, packed with journalists, YouTubers and TikTok creators, remained tense as the judge observed the evidence. D4vd entered the room in orange jail stripes, chained to his chair. He stared out and nodded silently, but the atmosphere shifted when the trial’s graphic evidence was shown. Angry and heart‑broken, his mother’s family endured a difficult, deeply emotional experience that will likely stay with them forever.
