The preliminary hearing involving musician D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, took another significant turn as prosecutors introduced financial records, travel purchases, and testimony they say help establish a motive in the criminal case surrounding the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
During the proceedings, prosecutors pointed to Burke’s lucrative rise in the music industry, presenting testimony from Interscope Records executives that valued his recording agreement between $13 million and $19 million. Additional testimony from management indicated the artist earned approximately $10 million to $11 million between 2023 and 2025, underscoring what prosecutors argue was a career worth protecting.
According to the prosecution, Burke allegedly feared his relationship with Rivas Hernandez becoming public could damage both his reputation and his rapidly growing success. They contend that concern became the motive behind the crimes alleged in the indictment. Burke has pleaded not guilty to every charge.
The hearing also focused heavily on travel records. Prosecutors presented evidence showing Burke purchased multiple trips for Rivas Hernandez, including travel to London and flights within the United States. Among the records discussed was an airline ticket from Los Angeles to London that listed Rivas Hernandez as an unaccompanied minor for travel scheduled between September 28 and 29. Court testimony also referenced additional accommodations Burke allegedly arranged while the teenager had been reported missing.
Those travel records became part of a broader presentation that included digital evidence and financial documentation. At the same time, testimony highlighted an important point in the timeline. Prosecutors allege Rivas Hernandez was killed in April 2025, months before the September travel booking and several of the financial records introduced during the hearing. The prosecution has used those records as part of its effort to establish the nature of the relationship and Burke’s alleged actions before and after the events at the center of the case.
Burke currently faces charges that include first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of human remains. Investigators allege Rivas Hernandez’s body was discovered inside the trunk of Burke’s Tesla in September 2025, an allegation that forms the foundation of the prosecution’s case.
As the preliminary hearing continues, prosecutors are working to establish probable cause through witness testimony and documentary evidence, while the defense continues to challenge the state’s narrative. No verdict has been reached, and Burke remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
