The second day of testimony in the preliminary hearing for singer David Anthony Burke, known professionally as D4vd, brought a mix of financial disclosures and forensic detail as prosecutors continued building their case in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were found inside Burke’s car in Hollywood nine months ago.
Burke, facing charges of first-degree murder, lewd acts on a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains, has pleaded not guilty and appeared in court again in jail attire, seated beside his defense team.
Testimony resumed with cross-examination of Benjamin Greger, a former finance director for Burke’s management company, who described a financial setup largely run through Burke’s mother rather than Burke himself.
Greger said Burke rarely, if ever, discussed earnings or account balances directly, testimony the defense appeared to use in an effort to distance Burke from any financial motive. Greger also introduced a previously unheard name, a live-in security guard referred to only as Sheldon, who reportedly stayed at Burke’s home for roughly six months, though Greger said he never discussed what happened inside the residence during that time.
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On redirect, prosecutors pressed to show Burke was more financially engaged than the defense suggested, noting he maintained a personal bank account and credit card separate from those managed by his company. Greger also testified that airline tickets tied to a London trip involving Burke and Celeste appeared to have been purchased through one of Burke’s personal accounts rather than a company-managed one.
A finance executive from Interscope Capital later walked the court through several years of payment records, showing Burke and his affiliated business entities received several million dollars in earnings between 2022 and 2025, including deposits into a legally protected trust account required for minors working in entertainment.
Additional testimony covered brand partnership income and tour-related expenses, though defense questioning focused heavily on who had actual control over the protected trust and what became of it once Burke turned 18.
The hearing also turned to the discovery of Celeste’s passport card along a rural highway shoulder in Santa Barbara County, found by a Caltrans worker in January. A California Highway Patrol officer described documenting the scene and notifying Los Angeles police, while defense cross-examination raised questions about how the item was recovered, whether it had been tested for fingerprints, and the accuracy of the GPS location recorded at the scene.
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The day’s testimony closed with an LAPD forensic investigator describing the condition of Burke’s Tesla when it was examined, including a thick layer of dust suggesting the vehicle had gone untouched for some time, a decomposition odor, insect activity in the front trunk, and numerous air fresheners found throughout the car’s interior.
