A DNA expert provided crucial testimony in a Los Angeles court, revealing that evidence from blood stains in the garage of musician D4vd’s home aligns closely with the DNA of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Prosecutors allege that D4vd murdered and dismembered Hernandez following her threat to expose their illegal relationship and impact his career.
Police collected samples from several items in the garage, including a rubber floor mat, a rowing machine, and a Tesla charger. Los Angeles police criminalist Samantha Tosch confirmed these samples matched Rivas Hernandez’s DNA. This testimony occurred on the third day of a preliminary hearing where the court will decide if D4vd will face trial for murder, child sexual abuse, and body mutilation. D4vd denies all charges, with his legal team committed to a robust defense.
Tosch testified that the matches were highly probable, being “one septillion times more likely” to have originated from Rivas Hernandez rather than anyone else. Previously, prosecutors stated her DNA was found in the garage, but this marked the first public presentation of such evidence.
Further testing revealed a mixture of DNA from four people on a trash bag in the garage, including Burke’s DNA, while Rivas Hernandez’s DNA appeared on the wipes but not the bag itself. Tosch could not definitively claim that DNA samples stemmed from blood, acknowledging the possibility of touch DNA and the challenge of determining how or when the DNA was deposited.
Defense attorneys questioned police protocols related to DNA testing, highlighting items like a pair of small chain saws in the garage. Initial tests on these saws did not indicate blood presence, and therefore, the handles were not swabbed for DNA. Defense attorney Blair Berk suggested the possibility of other individuals’ DNA being present but undetected due to the testing limitations.
D4vd, a successful indie-pop musician known for songs with dark themes such as “Romantic Homicide,” appeared composed during court proceedings. His connection with Rivas Hernandez reportedly began when she was 13 and he was 18. Prosecutors suggest jealousy over D4vd’s other relationships motivated her threats to damage his career. They claim D4vd summoned her to his home before fatally stabbing her the night of April 23, 2025, and maintained her body in the car’s trunk until its discovery months later.