Singer D4vd reportedly had a cold reaction to seeing graphic photographs of Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains during an emotional court hearing.
The singer showed no visible emotion while prosecutors displayed horrifying crime scene photographs of the teen’s remains on courtroom screens. He reportedly stared intently at each image and continued watching as the images remained visible. His attention appeared to sharpen when the court displayed an image of her right hand, which showed the word “Shhh…” on her index finger. That specific moment stood out because the performer’s reaction remained controlled while the evidence became increasingly difficult for others in the courtroom to view.
A defendant’s facial expression cannot establish guilt or innocence. Still, his body language carried weight because the preliminary hearing marked the first time prosecutors presented some of their physical and digital evidence together in open court.
Los Angeles Police Department Detective Joshua Byers testified that he found Celeste’s head and torso inside a body bag in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to D4vd. Byers said her arms and legs were inside a garbage bag beneath it and that two fingers were missing from one hand. Celeste’s parents attended the hearing as prosecutors displayed the pictures and questioned the detective about the September 2025 discovery.
The focus on Celeste’s hands was not incidental. Prosecutors allege that two fingers from her left hand were amputated and never recovered.
D4vd’s most recent court appearance also contrasted with footage prosecutors played from an earlier encounter between him and law enforcement. Per the Associated Press, body camera video from February 2024 showed D4vd speaking with Riverside County sheriff’s deputies who were investigating a missing person report involving Celeste. In the video, the artist said, “She told me she was 18,” and claimed he had only met her once in person.
The outlet reported that Deputy Juan Gonzalez described D4vd as extremely cooperative during that interaction. D4vd allowed deputies to search the residence, provided Celeste’s phone number and showed them a missing person flyer and a yearbook photograph. The deputies did not find evidence during that visit that Celeste or another girl had been staying at the home. Prosecutors are now presenting evidence they contend contradicts D4vd’s description of the relationship.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, D4vd has been charged with one count of murder, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and one count of unlawful mutilation of human remains. The criminal complaint includes special circumstance allegations involving lying in wait, financial gain and the killing of a witness. Prosecutors also allege that a sharp instrument was used during the killing.
D4vd has pleaded not guilty. Defense attorney Blair Berk previously said the evidence would show that D4vd did not murder Celeste and was not the cause of her death. That denial remains central as prosecutors attempt to persuade the judge that enough evidence exists to send the case to trial. The defense will have opportunities to challenge the prosecution’s witnesses, forensic conclusions and interpretation of the digital records.
Prosecutors have also outlined an alleged sequence of events involving purchases made after Celeste’s death. D4vd allegedly ordered two chainsaws, an inflatable pool, a shovel, a body bag and other materials using a false name. The pool was reportedly placed inside his garage and used while her body was dismembered. Prosecutors also claim investigators later recovered blood evidence and damaged material from the pool at the property.
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner determined that Celeste died from multiple penetrating injuries caused by one or more objects. The agency classified her death as a homicide and confirmed that her remains were discovered in the front trunk of a vehicle at a Los Angeles tow yard on September 8, 2025. The medical examiner’s determination describes how she died, but the court must determine whether prosecutors can prove who caused those injuries.
The preliminary hearing is not a trial, and there is no jury. Judge Charlaine Olmedo will decide whether prosecutors have established probable cause for the charges to continue toward trial. D4vd appeared in jail clothing and remained restrained to his chair, although the judge allowed his hands to remain uncuffed. Cameras were not permitted inside the courtroom, making written observations from attending reporters especially important.
Nothing about D4vd’s court reaction answers the legal questions surrounding Celeste’s death. His stare does not prove the prosecution’s allegations, and an absence of visible emotion does not reveal intent.
The judge’s eventual decision will depend on testimony, physical evidence, digital records and the arguments presented by both sides.
