The singer D4vd is scheduled to appear in Los Angeles Superior Court this week for several days of proceedings in the case about the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old girl he is accused of killing.
The proceedings, known as a preliminary hearing, have been delayed several times but are expected to begin on Tuesday and last at least three days.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is D4vd accused of?
In April, D4vd, whose real name is David Burke, was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Celeste, whose severely decomposed body was found in the trunk of his Tesla last fall. The charge came with what are known as special circumstances; prosecutors say that Mr. Burke lay in wait, committed the act for financial gain and murdered a witness to an investigation.
Because of the special circumstances, the charge carries a maximum sentence of either life without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. Nathan J. Hochman, the Los Angeles County district attorney, has said that his office has not decided whether to pursue the death penalty.
Mr. Burke has pleaded not guilty. He has been housed at a local jail while waiting for the preliminary hearing.
What is a preliminary hearing, and why does it matter?
The purpose of a preliminary hearing is for a judge to decide if there is enough evidence for a case to move forward and go to trial. A preliminary hearing is not the trial itself, and it does not determine whether a person is guilty. It is part of the legal process that helps prevent prosecutors from filing frivolous charges.
During the hearing, prosecutors will present evidence that supports the charges they have filed. The New York Times and other news media outlets will cover the hearing because it will offer the most detailed look yet about the prosecution’s case against Mr. Burke.
What have prosecutors said about their case?
In a brief filed in April, prosecutors laid out what they called a “road map” of the evidence they said they planned to introduce at the preliminary hearing.
The court documents say Mr. Burke met Celeste when she was 11, began a sexual relationship with her when she was 13 and, when she was 14, got into an argument with her the day before inviting her to his home and fatally stabbing her.
In the days and weeks that followed, the court documents say, Mr. Burke placed Celeste’s body into an inflatable pool and cut off her limbs with a chain saw he had ordered online. He then stuffed her remains into a garbage bag and put the bag in the front trunk of his Tesla, according to the documents.
What else will we learn?
That legal filing was only eight pages. At the preliminary hearing, prosecutors are expected to walk through additional evidence they have collected to support the narrative they laid out in the court documents. They say the evidence will include text messages between Mr. Burke and Celeste, cellphone records, surveillance video, DNA evidence and more.
As part of the proceedings, prosecutors will call witnesses, and lawyers for Mr. Burke will be able to question those witnesses. The defense can also call its own witnesses, but that seldom occurs.
At the end of the proceeding, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo will determine if enough proof has been presented for the case to move forward. The standard of proof is lower than what is required for a conviction at trial. Prosectors must show only that there is “probable cause” that a crime was committed and that Mr. Burke committed it.
If the judge agrees that there is probable cause, a new process will begin to set court dates and schedule a trial.
Who are D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez?
Mr. Burke, 21, is a musician who created the anthem for the video game Fortnite and has millions of followers on social media and music platforms.
His 2022 track “Romantic Homicide” — a slow-rolling song about a failed relationship — blew up on social media. As his career took off, he got an opening slot on SZA’s SOS tour. His major-label debut, “Withered,” was released last year, and Mr. Burke was on tour the week that his Tesla was towed from a Los Angeles street to an impound lot.
Soon after the news that Celeste’s body had been found in the car’s trunk, several remaining concerts were canceled.
Celeste was 13 when she was reported missing on April 5, 2024, from Lake Elsinore, Calif., about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. In Lake Elsinore, those who knew Celeste have described her as a hard-working student who had won academic achievement awards.
A lawyer for the Rivas Hernandez family, Patrick Steinfeld, has said that family members will not talk publicly about the case. “There are no words to express the indescribable pain the family is experiencing,” he said in a statement.
