Prosecutor says D4vd's phone contained a lot of child porn

LOS ANGELES (CN) — A search of singer-songwriter D4vd's cellphone revealed that it contained "a significant amount of child pornography," a prosecutor told a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Thursday.

The 21-year-old musician, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has been accused of murdering a 14-year-old girl, Celeste Rivas Hernandez — a killing that prosecutors say took place a year ago today. Her body wasn't discovered until months later, and Burke was only charged on Monday. He faces one count each of first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

According to District Attorney Nathan Hochman, Burke had "engaged in repeated lewd and lascivious sexual relations with" Hernandez when she was 13. "When she threatened to expose his criminal conduct and devastate his musical career, Burke allegedly murdered her, cut up her body and stuffed her body in two bags that were placed in the front trunk of his car," Hochman added in a statement.

Burke has pleaded not guilty. He is being held in custody.

According to the autopsy report, released Wednesday by the LA County Medical Examiner's Office, Hernandez suffered two stab wounds, one to the abdomen and the other to her chest. After she died, her arms and legs were dismembered. Two of her fingers on her left hand had also been cut off.

Police discovered Hernandez's body inside a "large, black zippered body bag with handles," inside the trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke. The car had been left on a public street in Hollywood, and then towed to an impound lot.

Burke appeared in court on Thursday, wearing an orange jumpsuit, for a hearing where attorneys discussed discovery issues. Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said police and prosecutors had "accrued approximately 40 terabytes of data" during the seven-month investigation, "a voluminous amount of digital data" that includes child pornography. That material cannot be handed over directly to defense attorneys. By law, it must be viewed on a special computer at the DA's office.

Silverman also revealed there was a wiretap in place beginning some time last year, as well as "many" search warrants that were served. She added there were three grand juries convened to investigate the gruesome murder, in November, December and February.

Burke's attorney, Marilyn Bernowski, has pushed for her client to receive a speedy preliminary hearing, a somewhat unusual tactic, especially for a case with so much evidence. Judge Charlaine Olmedo set the preliminary hearing, a sort of mini-trial to determine if there's enough evidence to proceed to a full trial, for May 1. Silverman said she expected the hearing to last four to five days.

Prosecutors have not decided whether or not to seek the death penalty in this case. California has not carried out an execution since 2006.

Burke gained attention by creating videos of himself playing the online game Fortnite and posting them on YouTube, along with a self-made soundtrack. He later began producing music for video games professionally, and one of his tracks became the official Fortnite anthem. He had two multiplatinum singles in 2022, and his debut album was released last year, months before Hernandez's remains were discovered on Sept. 8, 2025.