Judge Sets Hearing as Evidence Emerges in D4vd Murder Case
May 1 hearing set for prosecutors to present evidence in case charging David Anthony Burke with murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
PBS NewsHourJudge sets date for evidence against singer D4vd in killing of 14-year-old to be presented
ABC NewsD4vd murder case: A timeline of the investigation into 14-year-old girl's death
BBC NewsSinger D4vd found with 'significant amount' of child sex abuse images - prosecutors
CNNChild pornography among evidence in case against singer d4vd, accused of murdering 14-year-old | CNN
Overview
A judge set a May 1 hearing for prosecutors to publicly present the evidence against David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, prosecutors said.
Burke was arrested on April 16, 2026, and was charged on April 20, 2026, with first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child and unlawfully mutilating human remains, prosecutors announced.
Burke has pleaded not guilty and his attorneys say they will vigorously defend him, while Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s parents released a statement on April 21, 2026, saying they want justice for their daughter.
Prosecutors said investigators recovered a significant amount of child sexual abuse images, roughly 40 terabytes of digital material, and that three grand juries reviewed evidence before the charges were filed.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner found Rivas Hernandez died of multiple penetrating injuries and listed the death as a homicide, and prosecutors said they are preparing to hand investigative materials to the defense.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this coverage by foregrounding prosecutorial claims and graphic details while giving limited defense perspective. Editorial choices—evocative phrases (“dismembered,” “seemingly abandoned Tesla”), prioritizing prosecutors’ timeline and grand jury revelations, and juxtaposing the suspect’s pop-star profile—create a prosecutorial and sensational narrative; quoted prosecutor and parents remain source content.