US singer D4vd set to face murder trial over death of 14-year-old girl

US singer D4vd is set to stand trial over the death of a 14-year-old girl after a judge ruled prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence.

The 21-year-old, real name David Burke, is accused of killing Celeste Rivas Hernandez after she threatened to make their relationship public.

He is alleged to have stabbed her to death and dismembered her body in his garage, then hidden her remains in a car, which was then abandoned.

Ms Hernandez's severely decomposed body was found in a vehicle registered to Burke in the Hollywood Hills area of Los Angeles (LA) on 8 September 2025. The singer was then arrested in April.

Burke, who told police he did not know she was a minor, has denied murder and pleaded not guilty to several other counts, including mutilation of human remains and child sexual abuse.

He showed no emotion in court on Monday when LA judge Charlaine Olmedo ruled the case would go to trial after hearing prosecutors read out graphic details of the alleged crime scene.

Burke's lawyers have argued there is insufficient evidence for the murder charge but have not argued against those of child sexual abuse and mutilation of human remains.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court that prosecutors presented only a "small fraction" of the evidence they have. He said they are considering whether to seek the death penalty for Burke.

Judge Olmedo ordered Burke continue to be held without bail, with an arraingement to be held on 31 August. A trial could then begin as soon as 60 days later.

The ruling came after prosecutors gave an account of the moments leading up to Ms Hernandez's death.

Warning: You may find some of the following details distressing.

Ms Hernandez is said to have arrived at Burke's Hollywood home shortly after 10pm on 23 April 2025.

She arrived in an Uber he had ordered to pick her up. Prosecutors allege Burke stabbed her to death when she came through the door.

The night before, the two argued via text about his relationship with a woman. Ms Hernandez told him "i will end ur career and ur life" and "I swear to GOD I will kill u".

Prosecutors said they have records showing he ordered chainsaws and wading pools used to dismember her body, including cutting off a finger that photos of the pair suggested had "David" tattooed on it in red ink.

They said he drove around for weeks or even months with the body in the boot of his Tesla car before seemingly abandoning the vehicle. It was later towed away.

Burke is alleged to have met Ms Hernandez when she was 11 and began sexually abusing her when she was 13.

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Defence claims 'no deliberate intent to kill'

Burke's lawyer told the court there is "no evidence" he had a "deliberate intent to kill" the teenager.

Marilyn Bednarski argued there was "no threat" and "no evidence of a history of violence", and he had only agreed to meet with her on the night of her death after she repeatedly demanded it.

Lawyers for Ms Hernandez's family, who were in court for most of the hearing, sitting out some of the more graphic evidence, accused Burke's representatives of seeking to "put the blame on a 14-year-old girl".

Her death came two days before Burke's first full-length album, Withered, was released.

His music had delivered him a large following on social media, and his most popular songs – including 2022 breakout track Romantic Homicide – have more than a billion plays.

(c) Sky News 2026: US singer D4vd set to face murder trial over death of 14-year-old girl