Inside the Leaked Evidence: D4vd’s Caught-on-Cam Words and the Blackmail Plot That Ended in Tragedy

Leaked Autopsy Files and Bodycam Tapes Expose Darkest Turn Yet in D4vd Murder Trial

LOS ANGELES — As Los Angeles County officials launch an urgent internal probe into confidential autopsy reports leaked to the public, the preliminary hearing for 21-year-old singer D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke) has spiraled into its most horrifying chapter yet. Newly unsealed forensic evidence, explosive bodycam footage, and a paper trail of digital purchases presented at the Los Angeles Superior Court paint a grim picture of a calculated cover-up aimed at shielding a multi-million-dollar music career.

Leaked Files and the Mystery of Missing Body Parts

The courtroom atmosphere was heavy as LAPD detectives and prosecutors laid out physical evidence before Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo. The hearing—designed to determine whether sufficient cause exists to send Burke to full trial—was thrown into further turmoil following revelations that staff within the L.A. County Medical Examiner’s office are under internal investigation for allegedly leaking sensitive autopsy documentation prior to court proceedings.

Among the most unsettling disclosures brought to light during testimony was the prosecution’s theory regarding missing body parts:

• Targeted Mutilation: Prosecutors revealed that two fingers—the ring and pinky fingers from the victim’s left hand—were deliberately severed and remain unrecovered.

• Erasing the Identity: Authorities contend Burke removed the fingers specifically to destroy a matching finger tattoo reading “Shhh”—a mark identical to one on his own hand, alongside a red ink tattoo of her name, “Celeste.”

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‘Everyone Was Telling Me She Was 13’: Damning Bodycam Footage

In a tense courtroom moment, prosecutors screened bodycam footage recorded by responding officers during their initial questioning of the “Romantic Homicide” singer. Visible on screen, a visibly agitated Burke tried to distance himself from the 14-year-old victim, Celeste Rivas Hernandez, inadvertently making a damning statement:

“Everyone was telling me she was 13…”

Unsealed text messages introduced into the court record further establish a volatile dynamic between Burke and Hernandez. The digital paper trail highlights frantic conversations surrounding an undisclosed pregnancy, urgent demands for abortion pills, and escalating arguments. Prosecutors argue Hernandez had threatened to go public with allegations of statutory rape, giving Burke a desperate financial and reputational motive to silence her to protect his burgeoning $10 million music empire.

A Methodical Trail of Digital Purchases

Testimony from LAPD Robbery-Homicide Detective Joshua Byers laid out a timeline of Burke’s online activity surrounding the estimated time of the murder on April 23, 2025:

Forensic experts testified that DNA testing on dried blood residue recovered from the floor of Burke’s rented Hollywood Hills garage resulted in an exact match to Hernandez.

The victim’s severely decomposed remains were eventually discovered on September 8, 2025, inside the front trunk (frunk) of Burke’s abandoned Tesla after impound lot workers alerted police to a foul odor.

Legal Standing and What Comes Next

Burke, who remains held without bail at the Los Angeles County Jail, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including:

1. First-degree murder with special circumstances (murder for financial gain and killing a witness).

2. Continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14.

3. Unlawful mutilation of human remains.

Defense attorneys maintain Burke’s innocence, arguing that circumstantial purchases and unverified leaks do not directly prove he committed the murder.

Judge Olmedo is expected to issue a ruling at the conclusion of the preliminary hearing on whether Burke will face a full jury trial—where, if convicted, he faces life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.