Summary
- A key clarification has emerged in the murder case against singer D4vd, as the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Celeste Rivas Hernandez was not pregnant at the time of her death, putting to rest speculation that surfaced during recent court proceedings.
- The clarification follows widespread discussion after prosecutors presented text messages during a preliminary hearing showing that Rivas had previously become pregnant in 2024, when she was 13 years old, and later underwent an abortion.
- During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors introduced text messages exchanged between Burke and Rivas regarding the earlier pregnancy.
AI Generated Summary
A key clarification has emerged in the murder case against singer D4vd, as the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Celeste Rivas Hernandez was not pregnant at the time of her death, putting to rest speculation that surfaced during recent court proceedings.
The clarification follows widespread discussion after prosecutors presented text messages during a preliminary hearing showing that Rivas had previously become pregnant in 2024, when she was 13 years old, and later underwent an abortion. The disclosure led to online speculation that she may have also been pregnant when she died in April 2025.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, investigators do not believe Rivas was pregnant at the time of her death. Prosecutors shared the update with People on July 29, explaining that the clarification was issued after an amendment to her death certificate had changed the pregnancy section from “no” to “unknown,” creating confusion about her medical status.
The murder case centres on David Anthony Burke, the singer professionally known as D4vd, who has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.
During the preliminary hearing, prosecutors introduced text messages exchanged between Burke and Rivas regarding the earlier pregnancy. In one message, Rivas wrote, “Both of us aren’t able to take care of it,” while Burke replied, “I know but still.” Prosecutors presented the messages as part of their evidence during the hearing.
Court proceedings also included testimony from investigators and forensic experts as prosecutors argued there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial. The hearing focused on determining whether enough evidence existed to hold Burke over for trial rather than deciding guilt or innocence.
Earlier this week, a Los Angeles judge ruled that prosecutors had presented enough evidence for Burke to stand trial on the charges. The decision came after several days of testimony and the presentation of forensic, digital and documentary evidence by the prosecution.
Rivas’ remains were discovered in September 2025 inside the trunk of a Tesla linked to Burke. Authorities later ruled her death a homicide, leading to Burke’s arrest in April 2026. He remains in custody after pleading not guilty to all charges filed against him.
The District Attorney’s latest clarification specifically addresses speculation surrounding Rivas’ pregnancy status, confirming that while the teenager had previously experienced a pregnancy more than a year before her death, she was not pregnant when she was killed. Prosecutors said the earlier text messages and abortion were unrelated to her medical condition at the time of her death.
The criminal case against Burke will now move forward after the judge’s ruling, with further proceedings expected in the coming weeks as prosecutors continue pursuing the charges against the singer.
We welcome your contributions! Submit your blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, news story pitches, and news features to opinion@minutemirror.com.pk and minutemirrormail@gmail.com