Medical Examiner Testifies in Preliminary Hearing for Singer D4vd in Teen’s Death
7 verified8 unconfirmed
Dr. Grant Ho, a medical examiner, testified at a preliminary hearing for singer D4vd, known legally as David Burke. Ho performed the autopsy on 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found in September 2025. Her remains were dismembered and discovered in the trunk of a Tesla. Ho stated she died from two sharp force wounds, one penetrating her liver and another damaging her ribs. He testified that death could occur within minutes from blood loss. Prosecutors allege Burke killed Rivas in April 2025 after a sexual relationship that began when she was 13 and he was 18. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of remains. The hearing will determine if the case proceeds to trial.
What’s verified
Dr. Grant Ho performed the autopsy on 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Hernandez died from two sharp force wounds to her upper body, one penetrating her liver and one damaging her ribs.
Her dismembered body was found in the trunk of a Tesla in September 2025.
Prosecutors allege the killing occurred in April 2025.
Ho testified that death from blood loss could occur within minutes.
Prosecutors allege a sexual relationship began when Hernandez was 13 and Burke was 18.
Burke has pleaded not guilty to murder, sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of remains.
Not yet confirmed
Text messages about a pregnancy and abortion, including a message from Burke’s mother asking if the baby was his, were presented in court according to one source.
Police testified about alleged child sex abuse material found on Burke’s phone, per one account.
Defense questioned whether Hernandez could have been holding the weapon and whether hesitation marks were present, based on one source.
DNA evidence linking Hernandez to blood stains in Burke’s garage was detailed in a single report.
Cell phone records allegedly showed Burke traveling with his Tesla to a remote area multiple times after the killing, from one source.
Burke’s music career includes dark imagery and an alter-ego named Itami; his song “Romantic Homicide” has over a billion plays on Spotify, reported by one outlet.
The exact alleged date of the killing, April 23, 2025, appeared in only one source.
Questions remain about the timing of the dismemberment and the location of a chainsaw purchased after the alleged killing.
Key figures
Dr. Grant Ho, Los Angeles County Medical Examiner
Celeste Rivas Hernandez, victim
David Anthony Burke (D4vd), defendant
Beth Silverman, Deputy District Attorney
Marilyn Bednarski, defense attorney
Sources: Rolling Stone, abcnews.com
