D4vd lawyers challenge police testing of evidence found in singer’s home | Los Angeles
Lawyers for singer D4vd examined how law enforcement chose to test evidence found at his home on the third day of the trial to determine whether he would be tried for murder and child sexual abuse.
Prosecutors say D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, fatally stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez last year to prevent her from revealing the sexual nature of their relationship due to her rising profile in the music world.
Burke pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, “lewd and lascivious acts” on a child under 14, and destruction of human remains.
Earlier in the week, prosecutors presented evidence that possible traces of blood were detected at Burke’s former residence in the Hollywood Hills and at his Tesla.
On Thursday, defense attorney Blair Berk asked Lauren Wallace, a criminalist with the Los Angeles Police Department, why some items, including chainsaws, found in the musician’s garage had not been tested.
Berk suggested that another individual’s DNA could be detected.
“You were aware that more than one person lived in this house, right?” asked Wallace, referring to the Hollywood Hills address where the singer resides.
“Yes, we were aware of it,” Wallace said.
The conversation previewed how Burke’s lawyers might aim to poke holes in the prosecution’s case if the case proceeds to trial.
On Wednesday, California highway patrol officer Sean Buenrostro testified that a Caltrans employee found a passport bearing Rivas Hernandez’s name and photo on the embankment off State Route 154 in Santa Barbara in January 2026. Buenrostro arrived at the scene after the worker called law enforcement regarding his identification card.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Regina Peter cast doubt on possible theories about how the passport ended up there: “Did you do anything to rule out the possibility that the card had gotten there due to some sort of storm or weather?” he asked.
Prosecutors brought a detective to the stand Thursday; The detective testified that cellular data and the Tesla system showed that Burke went to the area where Rivas Hernandez’s passport was located.
The hearing is expected to conclude early next week.
Associated Press contributed reporting
