A forensic analyst stated in courtroom Wednesday that proof of blood was present in a number of sections of the storage the place the singer D4vd allegedly lower aside a teenage woman with a chainsaw final yr.
Lauren Wallace, an criminologist with the Los Angeles Police Division, stated she discovered proof of blood on health club mats and flooring contained in the storage on the artist’s Hollywood Hills residence. Wallace was the newest witness to take the stand as a preliminary listening to on homicide and intercourse abuse costs towards the “Romantic Murder” singer continued in downtown Los Angeles.
D4vd, whose authorized title is David Anthony Burke, is charged with fatally stabbing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez final April after which utilizing a chainsaw to dismember her physique earlier than shoving it contained in the trunk of his Tesla, the place the woman’s stays had been found months later. Prosecutors say Hernandez was final seen alive on the 21-year-old‘s Doheny Place residence.
If convicted as charged, Burke would face life in jail with out the potential for parole or the loss of life penalty, although prosecutors haven’t indicated whether or not they intend to pursue capital punishment. On the finish of the preliminary listening to, Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom Decide Charlaine Olmedo will resolve whether or not prosecutors have sufficient proof to take Burke to trial.
Burke has pleaded not responsible and denied all wrongdoing by means of his attorneys. On cross-examination, protection lawyer Blair Berk prodded Wallace to confess that her chemical evaluation — accomplished months after prosecutors consider Burke turned his storage into an abattoir — didn’t definitively show the presence of blood.
“I can’t say it’s undoubtedly blood,” Wallace stated. “I can say it’s presumably blood.”
The chemical deployed by Wallace throughout her investigation reacts with the iron in hemoglobin, a protein present in pink blood cells.
Prosecutors allege Burke met Hernandez when she was simply 11 years previous and commenced sexually abusing her when she turned 13, bringing her with him on journeys to London and Texas. A search of Burke’s cellphone turned up textual content messages referencing “intercourse, being pregnant, abortion and use of the Plan B emergency contraceptive” in addition to photos of the teenager performing intercourse acts, L.A. County Deputy Dist. Atty. Beth Silverman wrote in a nine-page courtroom submitting made public earlier this yr.
Prosecutors allege Hernandez threatened to show Burke’s abuse of her after an argument. An post-mortem exhibits Hernandez died of two stab wounds to the chest, and prosecutors contend Burke killed the woman for monetary achieve so as to shield his ascendant music profession.
After killing Hernandez, prosecutors allege Burke bought shovels, chainsaws and an inflatable pool that he deliberate to make use of to destroy his sufferer’s stays. Burke used the chainsaw to chop aside Hernandez’s physique, which he positioned contained in the pool hoping it will seize most of her blood, prosecutors have alleged.
Wallace stated Wednesday that she carried out her evaluation of Burke’s house on Sept. 17, 2025, somewhat over every week after police discovered Hernandez’s physique within the trunk of the singer’s Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard. Pictures displayed by Silverman in courtroom on Wednesday morning confirmed investigators recovered not less than a half-dozen air fresheners from contained in the automobile, indicating somebody was making an attempt to suppress the robust odor coming from Hernandez’s badly decomposed stays.
Wallace stated she discovered two chainsaws within the storage that “examined unfavorable” for blood, however famous investigators by no means positioned a 10-inch Makita chainsaw, which prosecutors declare was one among many objects Burke bought in late April and early Might that might be used within the disposal of a physique.
Within the storage, Wallace found gym-style rubber flooring that had linear cuts. Wallace stated she additionally discovered pink stains on the mats, a close-by rowing machine and a Tesla charging plug. An ultraviolet mild revealed the mats and brick flooring of the storage had probably been stained with blood. A trash bag within the storage and a few of its contents additionally examined constructive for indicators of blood, she stated.
The inflatable pool that prosecutors allege Burke used to carry his sufferer’s physique whereas he wielded the chainsaw was additionally recovered by police, in accordance with Wallace, who stated the pool had been lower in a number of locations.
Prosecutors additionally moved Wednesday to solidify their argument that Burke would have misplaced a fortune if Hernandez spoke out towards him. Throughout morning testimony, an Interscope Data government stated Burke stood to make as much as $19 million if the label picked up choices for a number of future data, along with branding offers with clothes corporations. Burke first signed with Interscope in 2022.
Burke — who gained notoriety by layering his unique music over clips of himself enjoying the favored online game “Fortnite” — was touring in assist of his debut album, “Withered,” when Hernandez’s physique was discovered dismembered inside his Tesla in Hollywood final September.
He ended his tour quickly after and Interscope Data dropped Burke late final yr. On Wednesday, Interscope government Louis Poimiroo testified that the label nonetheless paid Burke greater than $2 million in 2025 and didn’t terminate his contract till not less than a month after The Occasions reported a grand jury had been convened to listen to proof in Hernandez’s loss of life.
Prosecutors are anticipated to name not less than 4 extra witnesses through the preliminary listening to, which might final one other three days, in accordance with Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman.
