A forensic analyst testified Wednesday that blood evidence was found in several areas of the garage at the Hollywood Hills home of singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd. Burke faces murder and sex abuse charges related to the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in April 2025.
Lauren Wallace, a criminologist with the Los Angeles Police Department, testified during the preliminary hearing in downtown Los Angeles that blood was detected on gym mats, rubber flooring, a rowing machine, and a Tesla charging plug inside the garage. Wallace said she also found blood indicators on a trash bag and its contents, as well as on an inflatable pool prosecutors claim Burke used while dismembering the victim’s body. The pool was recovered by police with multiple cuts visible. Although two chainsaws recovered in the garage tested negative for blood, investigators never located a 10-inch Makita chainsaw prosecutors allege Burke purchased with the intent to dispose of Hernandez’s remains.
The victim’s body was found in a heavily decomposed state inside the trunk of Burke’s Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard months after her death. Prosecutors allege Burke fatally stabbed Hernandez and then used a chainsaw to cut apart her body before attempting to contain the blood loss in the inflatable pool. Photos submitted in court showed multiple air fresheners inside the vehicle, suggesting an effort to mask the odor.
Prosecutors contend Burke met Hernandez when she was 11 and began sexually abusing her as she turned 13, including during trips to London and Texas. Evidence presented includes text messages referencing “sex, pregnancy, abortion, and use of the Plan B emergency contraceptive,” along with explicit images of the victim on Burke’s phone, according to court filings. Prosecutors allege Hernandez threatened to expose the abuse following an argument, providing a motive for the killing. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be two stab wounds to the chest.
Burke is also accused of purchasing shovels, chainsaws, and other equipment to facilitate the disposal of Hernandez’s body. Although a forensic chemical test conducted by Wallace indicated the presence of a blood-like substance, she acknowledged on cross-examination that the test could not definitively confirm the presence of blood.
The preliminary hearing will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty and denies all allegations through his attorneys. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment without parole; prosecutors have yet to announce whether they will seek the death penalty.
An executive from Interscope Records, the label that signed Burke in 2022, testified that the artist was poised to earn up to $19 million from future record options and brand deals. Burke was dropped by the label late last year after the discovery of Hernandez’s body. Despite this, the label continued to pay him more than $2 million in 2025 and ended his contract only after grand jury proceedings became public.
The preliminary hearing is expected to continue for several more days, with prosecutors planning to call additional witnesses. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is overseeing the case.