Graphic Autopsy Revealed
D4vd Hearing Details Graphic Autopsy in Alleged Killing of Teen Celeste Rivas Hernandez
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A Los Angeles County medical examiner testified Friday that 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez suffered stab wounds so severe they could have taken up to an hour to kill her, according to USA Today. The graphic testimony came during the preliminary hearing for D4vd — real name David Anthony Burke, 21 — who is charged with her murder.
Prosecutors say Burke and Rivas began a romantic relationship in 2022, when she was just 11 years old and he was 16. Rivas was last seen alive on April 23, 2025. Her remains were found months later inside an impounded Tesla at a Los Angeles tow yard, USA Today reported.
Medical Examiner Describes Devastating Internal Injuries
Dr. Grant Ho, the Los Angeles County medical examiner, testified that Rivas died from injuries consistent with stab wounds. One wound pierced her liver. Another damaged her ribs. Both caused severe internal trauma, according to USA Today.
Dr. Ho told the court that Rivas may have survived for as long as an hour after her injuries were inflicted. The details paint a disturbing picture of her final moments, Yahoo News reported.
Relationship Started When Victim Was Just 11
Prosecutors allege Burke began a romantic relationship with Rivas in 2022. At the time, Rivas was 11 years old. Burke was 16. The relationship continued as D4vd's music career grew, according to USA Today.
Special charges in the case allege Burke killed Rivas for financial gain. Prosecutors claim he needed to silence her before she could threaten to expose him and damage his career, Yahoo News reported.
Remains Found Months Later in Impounded Tesla
Rivas was last seen alive on April 23, 2025. Her body was not found right away. Instead, her remains turned up inside a Tesla that had been towed and impounded at a Los Angeles tow yard, according to USA Today. The discovery came five months after her death.
The grim circumstances of her body's discovery added to the disturbing nature of the case. Investigators had to piece together what happened over the months between her disappearance and when her remains were found, Yahoo News reported.
D4vd's Music Career Now Under a Dark Cloud
D4vd rose to fame as a teenage bedroom pop artist. His breakout song "Here With Me" went viral in 2022. He was seen as a rising star in indie and R&B music. Now, at 21, he faces murder charges that carry special circumstances tied to financial motive, according to USA Today.
The preliminary hearing is still ongoing. A judge will decide whether enough evidence exists to send the case to trial. No verdict has been reached. Burke has not yet entered a formal plea in the case, Yahoo News reported.
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