Photo credit: D4vd (Instagram)
D4vd is returning to court Monday as the legal proceedings surrounding the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez continue.
The singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is scheduled for a post-preliminary arraignment in Los Angeles on Aug. 31. The hearing comes about a month after a judge determined that prosecutors presented enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
Burke has pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains in custody without bail.
Why D4vd is facing trial
A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ordered Burke to stand trial after a five-day preliminary hearing in July.
He faces one count each of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. The case also includes special-circumstance allegations involving murder of a witness, murder for financial gain and murder by lying in wait.
The allegations are not findings of guilt.
Burke is presumed innocent unless and until he is convicted in court.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez case
The case began attracting widespread attention after Rivas Hernandez’s remains were discovered in September 2025 inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke.
Prosecutors allege that Burke killed the teenager at his Hollywood Hills home in April 2025 and later attempted to conceal the crime.
During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors presented testimony and forensic evidence they said connected Burke to the killing. The evidence included DNA findings and other materials recovered during the investigation.
The defense has challenged the prosecution’s case and argued that the evidence did not establish the required intent to kill.
What happens after the arraignment?
Monday’s hearing marks another step toward a full criminal trial.
ABC News reports that a trial is expected to take place within 90 days of the Aug. 31 arraignment.
The exact trial date has not yet been announced.
Prosecutors have also been considering whether to seek the death penalty. Burke could face life in state prison without parole if convicted as charged, while the death penalty decision remains pending.
D4vd case continues to draw attention
The case has remained closely watched because of Burke’s career as a singer and the age of the victim.
The preliminary hearing included graphic testimony and evidence as prosecutors attempted to establish probable cause for the charges.
The judge ultimately ruled that the case could proceed, but that decision does not determine whether Burke is guilty.
That question will be decided at trial, where prosecutors will have to prove their allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
For now, the D4vd court hearing represents another major step in a case that has drawn national attention.
As the legal process continues, Burke remains entitled to the presumption of innocence while the allegations against him are litigated in court.
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Source: Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and ABC News.
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