Gruesome images of a teenage girl's dismembered corpse were shown in court before her horrified parents on the opening day of a preliminary hearing in the murder case against the singer who performs under the stage name D4vd. Prosecutors presented graphic crime scene photos showing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez's body when it was found last year inside a Tesla registered to singer David Anthony Burke in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
A homicide detective testified that Burke, 21, had ordered a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool and a shovel online in the days after Celeste's death. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering and sexually abusing the girl.
The grisly details had previously only been described in court filings. Tuesday's hearing marked the first time that the evidence and photographs were shown publicly in court.
Although this is not the trial itself, prosecutors are laying out the evidence they say links Burke to Celeste's death as they seek to convince the judge there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
Prosecutors say Burke stabbed Celeste before dismembering her body with a chainsaw to conceal the killing after years of alleged sexual abuse. They allege he killed her because she had threatened to reveal his relationship with a minor and destroy his multi-million dollar music career.
For Celeste's parents, it was an ordeal they had prepared themselves for but could never fully anticipate, according to their lawyer.
"This is the first time they've heard this evidence in detail, and they're horrified,"
the family's attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, told the BBC after the court hearing.
"There was an image of Celeste's torso and her head in the trunk of the car, and the prosecutor had to ask what it was because you could not tell it was a head. It was absolutely deplorable.
"They're at a loss for words and they're just trying to do the best they can."
How did Celeste's family react in court?
Steinfeld said Celeste's mother, Mercedes, had been warned in advance that graphic images would be shown.
"I told her she didn't have to be in the courtroom for this part of the hearing,"
he said.
"But she said, 'I want to be here to show support for Celeste.' She just put her head down and started crying."
He said he had advised both parents that once they saw the images, they would never be able to
"unsee"
them.
"I encouraged them to step out for a short period of time, and they decided no - they wanted to be here to show they're supporting their daughter."
"They're an extremely private family,"
he added.
"It's a parent's worst nightmare."
The small downtown Los Angeles courtroom was packed long before Tuesday's hearing began. Journalists, YouTubers, TikTok creators and members of the public had entered a lottery for one of the limited number of seats to watch the proceedings.
There was a palpable sense of anticipation in the room. The constant chatter stopped when Burke was brought in.
Wearing an orange jail uniform, he was shackled at the wrists and ankles. His handcuffs were removed, but he remained chained to his chair throughout the hearing.
He briefly smiled at members of his defence team before quietly responding to the judge with
"Good morning, Your Honour",
and
"Yes, Your Honour".
The atmosphere shifted dramatically once Detective Joshua Byers began his testimony.
Before displaying each graphic image, prosecutor Beth Silverman repeatedly turned to Celeste's parents, warning them about what they were about to see and checking whether they wanted to look away. At one point, Celeste's mother was comforted by supporters seated beside her.
The girl's body was discovered inside the trunk of a Tesla in September 2025 in a Hollywood tow yard. Detective Byers described opening a cadaver bag inside the car and finding decomposing human remains, including a torso and a head, with another black refuse bag underneath containing severed limbs.
He told the court Celeste's body had decomposed so severely her face was no longer recognisable.
The court also heard evidence showing purchases delivered to Burke's address under an alias after Celeste's death, including chainsaws, body bags and an inflatable pool. Investigators allege the items were used to dismember and conceal Celeste's body.
The court heard about tattoos prosecutors say connected Burke and Celeste.
The judge was shown photographs of a red-ink tattoo reading "Celeste" on Burke's left ring finger, as well as a "Shhh..." tattoo on his right index finger.
Prosecutors showed a photograph of Celeste with a similar "Shhh..." tattoo on her right index finger and another picture of a hand where the ring and little finger were cut off.
The preliminary hearing is expected to last several days, with prosecutors planning to call additional witnesses as they seek to establish enough evidence for the case to move to a jury trial.
What else was shown in the hearing?
In addition to the testimony about the Tesla, the online purchases and the tattoos, the court was shown the evidence for the first time in public proceedings. The hearing is not the trial itself, but it is the stage at which prosecutors are seeking to show the judge that the case should proceed to a jury trial.
Prosecutors say Burke stabbed Celeste before dismembering her body with a chainsaw in an effort to conceal the killing after years of alleged sexual abuse. They allege he killed her because she had threatened to reveal his relationship with a minor and destroy his multi-million dollar music career.
The prosecution's presentation of the photographs and testimony came as they laid out the sequence of events they say connects Burke to Celeste's death. The evidence included the discovery of decomposing human remains, including the torso and head, in the trunk of the Tesla, and severed limbs in a black refuse bag beneath the body bag.
The purchases investigators say were delivered to Burke's address under an alias after Celeste's death included chainsaws, body bags and an inflatable pool. Prosecutors allege those items were used in the dismemberment and concealment of the body.
The courtroom was full from early on Tuesday morning, with journalists, YouTubers, TikTok creators and members of the public taking seats secured through a lottery system. The hearing stopped short of a trial verdict, but the proceedings are expected to continue for several days.
How is the case expected to proceed?
The preliminary hearing is expected to last several days, and prosecutors plan to call additional witnesses as they seek to establish enough evidence for the case to move to a jury trial. Burke has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering and sexually abusing the girl.
The hearing is designed to help the judge decide whether the case should proceed. It is not the trial itself, but it is the first public court presentation of the evidence and photographs described in earlier filings.
For Celeste's parents, represented by Patrick Steinfeld, the hearing brought details they had previously only heard in broad terms into graphic focus. Steinfeld said they attended because they wanted to support their daughter, despite being warned that the images would be disturbing.
He said Celeste's mother, Mercedes, cried in court after seeing the images, and that he had advised both parents they would never be able to "unsee" what they were shown. He described them as an extremely private family and said the experience was every parent's worst nightmare.
Key Facts
- 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez's body was found last year inside a Tesla registered to singer David Anthony Burke in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
- Burke, who performs under the stage name D4vd, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering and sexually abusing Celeste.
- A homicide detective testified that Burke ordered a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool and a shovel online in the days after Celeste's death.
- Prosecutors say Burke stabbed Celeste and dismembered her body with a chainsaw to conceal the killing after years of alleged sexual abuse.
- The preliminary hearing is expected to last several days as prosecutors seek to show enough evidence for a jury trial.
