Was Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who D4vd is accused of killing, pregnant at the time of her death? Prosecutors clear air as singer remains under fire

A fresh development has emerged in the investigation into Celeste Rivas Hernandez's death, with prosecutors saying she was not pregnant at the time of her death. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed the finding to PEOPLE on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, providing clarity and putting the lingering question raised by an amendment to Rivas' death certificate earlier in 2026 to rest.

An addendum issued in April had changed the pregnancy section on Hernandez's death certificate from "no" to "unknown," raising questions about whether the 14-year-old had been pregnant within the year before her death. Prosecutors have now clarified that she was not pregnant at the time of her killing in April 2025.

The update comes as prosecutors continue preparing their case against singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke. On Monday, July 27, 2026, a judge ruled there was enough evidence for Burke to stand trial in the killing and dismemberment of Hernandez.


Authorities allege the teen had threatened to expose their relationship just days before the indie-pop singer's debut album was released. According to news agency AP, Hernandez texted Burke the night before her death, "i will end ur career and ur life."

Los Angeles Judge Charlaine Olmedo ruled that the evidence presented during a preliminary hearing established probable cause to move forward with a trial on charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty to murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors allege Burke killed the teenage runaway on April 23, 2025, after she threatened to expose years of sexual abuse and damage his music career. They further allege he dismembered her body with a chainsaw inside an inflatable pool in the garage of a Los Angeles home he was renting at the time.

The judge's ruling marked a major step in the 10-month investigation and prosecution that began after the dismembered and decomposing body of a girl was discovered in the trunk of Burke's Tesla in the Hollywood Hills in September while he was on tour.

From text messages about pregnancy to child sexual abuse material: How D4vd's preliminary hearing unfolded

The clarification about Hernandez's pregnancy status follows testimony presented during Burke's five-day preliminary hearing. During the hearing, prosecutors introduced text messages that they said documented an alleged pregnancy and abortion more than a year before her death.

According to Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Farell, phone records recovered from Burke's device included messages in which Hernandez discussed becoming pregnant in late 2023 and undergoing an abortion in January 2024, when she was 13 years old.

In one exchange read aloud in court, Hernandez allegedly told Burke, "Both of us aren't able to take care of it," to which Burke allegedly responded by telling her she was "so much stronger than me" before asking whether the pregnancy was his. "Of course it's yours David," Hernandez replied, according to Farell's testimony.

The detective also testified that Burke later asked how the appointment went, telling Hernandez he felt like he was "waiting for test results." Farell testified that investigators recovered the messages along with what authorities described as a large collection of child sexual abuse material allegedly involving Hernandez. Prosecutors said the sexually explicit images, which allegedly depicted sex acts at Burke's home, were too graphic to be shown in court.

One image described during Farell's testimony led to an emotional moment in the courtroom. As Farell testified about a photograph that allegedly depicted sexual abuse, Hernandez's mother, Mercedes Martinez, became visibly upset before Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman encouraged her to leave the courtroom. "This is too much," Silverman said. "I know how hard this is."

Prosecutors also allege Burke repeatedly discussed moving in with Hernandez, marrying her and hiding their relationship, while Hernandez frequently expressed fear about becoming pregnant and frustration that their relationship revolved around sex.

In one March 2025 text exchange, just weeks before prosecutors say Hernandez was killed, she allegedly told Burke: "We can be friends but like online. I don't want anything to do with you in person anymore if I'm gonna try and move on." "All we do is have sex and just hang out man, I want more than that for myself," she allegedly wrote.

What the medical examiner said during D4vd's preliminary hearing

The hearing also included testimony from Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Grant Ho, who ruled Hernandez's death a homicide. Ho testified that the victim suffered two penetrating injuries, one to the right side of the abdomen that injured her liver and another to the lower left side of her chest that damaged her ribs.

During cross-examination, Burke's defense attorney questioned whether the autopsy alone could determine who inflicted the fatal wounds. Ho acknowledged that he could not identify who was holding the weapon but said the injuries were consistent with homicide. He also testified that he would have expected hesitation marks if the wounds had been self-inflicted.