During a court hearing on Thursday, prosecutors claimed that singer D4vd’s confiscated phone contained a substantial amount of child pornography. This revelation emerged as the singer faced murder charges.
D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has been accused of first-degree murder following the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The charges were formally filed on April 20.
Appearing somber in court, the 21-year-old singer was visibly restrained in his chair, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit layered over a tan T-shirt.
During the proceedings, defense attorney Marilyn Bednarski requested the commencement of preliminary hearings, providing D4vd an opportunity to speak publicly for the first time since the allegations surfaced.
In response to Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo’s explanation of his rights and the potential for overlapping legal matters, D4vd simply replied, “Yes ma’am,” indicating his understanding and agreement.
Prosecutor Beth Silverman highlighted the extensive digital evidence to be reviewed in the case, disclosing to the court that D4vd’s iPhone allegedly contained child pornography.
It is unclear if the alleged explicit child images are of the victim, Rivas Hernandez.
Prosecutor Silverman claimed: ‘He had an iPhone and it contained a significant amount of child pornography and, under the law, child porn cannot be obtained without certain precautions in place.’
Singer D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, has been charged with first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating a body
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body was found in a Tesla towed from the Hollywood Hills on September 8 last year, a day after she would have turned 15
Silverman explained that they can have a specific computer in the DA’s office that will handle the child porn evidence. She said: ‘I cannot turn that type of material over.’
Bednarski said the defense was not expecting to obtain all of the evidence in the case right away.
‘We are asking for the basic physical evidence. We believe the court has inherent authority to control the process of the prelim and proceed without delay. … They arrested Mr. Burke last Thursday, and he is still in custody. We don’t see a reason for them not to produce it.’
On Thursday, prosecutors told the judge they expect the preliminary hearing to take four to five days.
The felony complaint against D4vd, revealed on Monday, contained fresh claims, including that Burke allegedly committed the crime for financial gain and used a ‘sharp instrument’ to murder the young girl, who was found dead inside his Tesla.
Digital and forensic evidence suggests he murdered her to protect his music career from being threatened by the exposure of his underage relationship, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J Hochman said.
Rivas Hernandez, whose mutilated body was found seven months ago, was allegedly a witness to a crime and ‘was intentionally killed because of that fact,’ the document claims.
The severity of the first-degree murder charge makes the singer, 21, eligible for the death penalty if he is convicted. He is currently being held in prison with no bail.
Rivas Hernandez’s remains were discovered in the front trunk of a Tesla that had been impounded at a Hollywood tow yard in September last year.
Police say the vehicle was registered to Burke’s address in Texas.
The singer was formally charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, continuous lewd acts with an individual under 14 and mutilating human remains of a body.
Her autopsy, also unearthed this week, revealed that she sustained knife wounds to her liver and her chest.
The harrowing report reveals that her ring and pinky finger had also been mutilated.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office explained the special circumstances for D4vd’s first-degree murder charge, which includes ‘lying in wait, committing this crime for financial gain or murdering a witness in an investigation.’
The charges, filed in California, carry a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole and the death penalty.
D4vd’s defense lawyer entered not guilty pleas to all counts during his first court appearance on Monday.
Rivas Hernandez was reported missing by her family in 2024, when she was 13.
Prosecutors say she then fell victim to continuous sexual abuse by Burke for at least a year from September 2023 to September 2024.
Authorities alleged the Houston-born alt-pop singer killed Rivas Hernandez to protect a career on the rise after she threatened to report their sexual relationship.
The 21-year-old has entered not guilty pleas to all counts
An autopsy report confirmed that Rivas Hernandez had a ‘Shhh…’ tattoo on her right index finger. A zoomed-in picture of Burke’s finger shows he has a matching one
The Tesla SUV, where police say Rivas Hernandez’s body was discovered on September 8
The teenager’s mother, who reported her missing three different times that same year, said her daughter was dating a guy she had never met, named David.
The pair were rumored to have shared matching ‘Sshhh’ tattoos on their right index fingers.
The autopsy report confirmed that Rivas Hernandez did have the tattoo. Photographs of Burke also show that he has the same markings on his finger.
Authorities described Rivas Hernandez as a ‘runaway’ at the time she was killed with a sharp object on or around April 23, 2025, when she was allegedly at Burke’s house in the Hollywood Hills.
Prosecutors allege Burke mutilated her body about two weeks later.
The autopsy report states that an investigator found her dismembered arms and legs in a trash bag under her body in the trunk of the car.
D4vd, pronounced David, gained popularity among Gen Z fans for his blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. He went viral on TikTok in 2022 and landed a record deal.
His popularity led to collaborations with stars such as SZA and Kali Uchis.
When the teenager’s body was discovered, Burke had been on a tour in support of his first full-length album. The tour was later canceled.
The singer is expected to return to court on April 29.
