Singer D4vd ordered to stand trial for murder and dismemberment of 14-year-old girl
A Los Angeles judge ruled Monday that there is enough evidence to try the 21-year-old singer D4vd for the stabbing death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, whose body was found in his Tesla.
The ruling
After a five-day preliminary hearing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo ruled on Monday, 27 July 2026, that there is sufficient evidence to try D4vd for the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The 21-year-old singer, whose real name is David Burke, is charged with murder, sexual assault of a minor, and mutilation of a corpse. He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody.
The alleged crime
Prosecutors say that in late April 2025, D4vd paid for an Uber to bring Celeste to his home, where he stabbed her to death. He then attempted to cover up the killing by ordering chainsaws on Amazon, an inflatable pool, and a garden incinerator. The incinerator was reportedly too small to hold the body. Her decomposing remains were discovered four months later, in September 2025, inside the trunk of a Tesla registered to the singer, which had been towed to a Hollywood impound lot.
- Celeste's parents sign a notarized document allowing her to travel to London with D4vd.
- D4vd and Celeste separate, but she maintains contact.
- D4vd allegedly pays for an Uber to bring Celeste to his home and stabs her to death.
- Celeste's decomposing body is found in the trunk of D4vd's Tesla at a Hollywood impound lot.
- Judge Charlaine Olmedo rules there is enough evidence to send D4vd to trial.
Relationship and motive
The hearing revealed that D4vd and Celeste had been in a sexual relationship since she was 13 and he was 18. Her parents were aware and had even signed a notarized document allowing her to travel with him to London in September 2024. The two separated in November 2024, but Celeste maintained contact. She became pregnant by D4vd and had an abortion, according to text messages shown in court. About 24 hours before her death, and three days before the release of D4vd's first album, Celeste, jealous of another woman, threatened to ruin his career by exposing their relationship. Prosecutors presented messages in which she wrote that she would strangle him.
Defense arguments
D4vd's legal team suggested that Celeste suffered from bipolar disorder, was suicidal, and had a history of violence toward the singer. They argued she could have died during a struggle or from self-inflicted injuries. The defense also pointed to her mental health struggles to cast doubt on the prosecution's narrative.
Public and media attention
The case has drawn intense interest in the United States, partly because D4vd's music seemed to foreshadow the crime. His 2022 breakout single "Romantic Homicide" went viral on TikTok, and he later performed at Coachella. The juxtaposition of his dark lyrics and the brutal allegations has fueled media coverage.
What's next
D4vd faces life in prison without parole or the death penalty if convicted. No trial date has been set. He remains in custody as the case moves toward trial.
