D4vd Tesla Case

The clothing Celeste Rivas was wearing when she was found dead was a soaked, insect-covered mess when it reached the LAPD crime lab ... and the garments were so badly soiled, a criminalist says she couldn't complete a key comparison.

Prosecutors displayed Celeste's clothes in court Thursday during the third day of D4vd's preliminary hearing ... claiming she was wearing black leggings, a thong, socks, and a tube top when her dismembered body was found in two bags stuffed in D4vd's Tesla.

An LAPD trace evidence analyst testified the items were packaged together and arrived very wet, with a strong odor and numerous dead insects.

She said the clothes were in such poor condition, the heavy soiling interfered with her forensic work.

A private investigator connected to D4vd's case was kicked out of the courtroom during the preliminary hearing ... and apparently it's because he might end up being a witness in the potential murder trial.

Here's the deal ... the private eye was booted from the courtroom Thursday after prosecutor Beth Silverman pointed out to the judge that he was present during grand jury testimony -- and could be called as a potential witness somewhere down the line.

Potential witnesses -- besides alleged victims like Celeste Rivas' family -- are barred from the preliminary hearing ... so the judge ruled this dude had to go.

Celeste Rivas' family is still struggling to comprehend the horrific allegations against D4vd ... with their attorney telling TMZ they simply can't understand why he would allegedly take a chainsaw to their beautiful girl.

We caught up with family attorney Patrick Steinfeld outside court Wednesday after another emotional day of testimony in D4vd's preliminary hearing. He says Celeste's loved ones remain "disheartened and broken," adding they're searching for answers they may never get.

Steinfeld tells us the family can't wrap their heads around why D4vd would allegedly mutilate Celeste's body after killing her, saying they "can't understand why D4vd would take a chainsaw to their beautiful girl."

D4vd's garage was possibly covered in blood ... this according to a forensic criminalist who helped process his home.

Witness Lauren Wallace -- a criminalist with LAPD's forensic science division -- took the stand during Day 2 of the singer's preliminary hearing for the alleged murder of Celeste Rivas Wednesday ... and said red stains all over the singer's garage tested positive for possible blood.

Wallace was there processing the scene in September of 2025 days after Celeste's body was found, and said the team performed BLUESTAR tests -- used to find potential blood evidence -- inside the Hollywood Hills home D4vd was renting.

Prosecutors say D4vd's Tesla was not only storing Celeste Rivas' decomposing body, it was also loaded with nearly a dozen air fresheners when her remains were found ... and they showed photographic evidence in court.

At least 11 air fresheners were scattered throughout the Tesla ... according to photos shown in court Wednesday as part of D4vd's preliminary hearing.

LAPD criminalist Chelsea Murillo said the air fresheners were in the center console, the rear seats and the front trunk ... where Celeste's remains were decomposing in two bags.

When ya think about it ... the presence of 11 air fresheners seems to offer a possible explanation for why Celeste's decomposing body was not sniffed out sooner ... despite weeks of scorching summer temperatures leading up to the grisly discovery.

Interscope Records stayed in business with D4vd for eight months after he allegedly murdered Celeste Rivas ... and while that may sound shocking, nuance and clarity are needed to understand why.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the timeline is paramount here because Interscope took action as information about the case became available from LAPD.

For instance ... prosecutors claim D4vd murdered Celeste in April, but her body was not discovered until September 8, when her remains were found in his impounded Tesla.

At that point, we're told Interscope made the call to stop promoting him immediately. Full stop.

D4vd's former friend Aysia Collins says she completely turned her back on the singer following his arrest ... and now she wants justice for the girl he allegedly murdered -- Celeste Rivas.

Aysia -- who says she met the singer while modeling on one of his sets before later working as a stylist on his tour -- is opening up about the backlash she has faced over their former friendship.

Check out the clip ... Aysia addresses her relationship with D4vd, her cooperation with investigators, and explains why she believes people are focusing their anger in the wrong direction.

D4vd remained under contract with Interscope Records for eight months after he allegedly murdered Celeste Rivas ... with the label cutting ties just four months before his arrest.

Louis Poimiroo -- Interscope's senior vice president of finance -- testified Wednesday during Day 2 of D4vd's preliminary hearing ... confirming the singer's contract through Mogul Vision was terminated in December 2025, and no payments were made to him in 2026.

The timeline is striking ... prosecutors allege D4vd stabbed 14-year-old Celeste to death inside his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025. Just three days later, he released his debut studio album, "WITHERED."

Poimiroo testified Interscope paid D4vd and entities connected to him more than $5.1 million between 2022 and 2025 -- including roughly $2.3 million in 2025 alone. The payments covered recording funds, legal and management fees, and other expenses tied to his music career.

Celeste Rivas' body had liquefied and looked like "mush" in the graphic photos shown during D4vd's preliminary hearing Tuesday ... according to the 14-year-old's family's attorney.

We caught up with Patrick Steinfeld outside court after the hearing, and he tells TMZ the alleged evidence presented against the singer is "damning" based on what he saw inside the courtroom.

Steinfeld says the exhibits were so "extremely painful" for the family to sit through that Celeste's mother, Mercedes Martinez, sobbed throughout the hearing and "never recovered."

D4vd still had Celeste Rivas' name tattooed on his left ring finger when he was booked into jail ... a chilling detail revealed as Day 1 of his preliminary hearing came to a close.

An investigator testified Tuesday that officers spotted "Celeste" on the singer's finger during booking ... along with "Shhh" on his right index finger and a religious reference on his right palm ... as prosecutors displayed photos showing the faded tattoos in court.

D4vd appeared relaxed as the images were shown, stroking his chin and studying the evidence with his thumb and index finger resting on his face.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman faced the media on the first day of D4vd's preliminary hearing ... revealing prosecutors plan to call more than 10 witnesses -- and they still haven't decided whether to seek the death penalty.

The prelim began Tuesday morning in a downtown L.A. courtroom ... with prosecutors presenting evidence in an effort to convince a judge there's enough to warrant a murder trial in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas -- Hochman says he expects the prelim to last 5-7 days.

D4vd -- real name David Anthony Burke -- appeared alongside his attorneys as prosecutors began laying out evidence they claim ties him to Celeste's brutal death and mutilation.

Celeste Rivas' family was warned to put their heads down as gruesome photos of the teen’s remains were shown in court ... but they refused to look away.

Prosecutor Beth Silverman gave the family a heads-up during the first day of D4vd’s preliminary hearing ... before displaying images of Celeste's severed arms and legs inside the front trunk of his Tesla.

An investigator testified the limbs were found in a black cadaver bag ... and another bag contained Celeste's head and torso. The investigator also described maggots, flies, and an unidentified liquid inside the vehicle.

Celeste Rivas' parents made the trek into court on Tuesday ... looking serious as they arrived for the preliminary hearing in D4vd's murder case.

Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez were spotted walking down the street in downtown Los Angeles ... holding hands on their way into the courthouse ... and looking solemn.

Celeste's parents have attended some of the prior court proceedings ... so it's not a total surprise to see them in court today ... but today's prelim won't be any easier for them to stomach.

D4vd's preliminary hearing begins today, and over the course of this week the prosecution will be presenting an avalanche of evidence in court as they try to convince a judge there's enough to warrant a murder trial ... and it's expected to get graphic.

The proceedings are finally getting underway after a few delays ... back in April, D4vd was arrested charged with first degree murder in the stabbing death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

D4vd -- real name is David Burke -- is also charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains.

It will be interesting to see what evidence the prosecution has -- they say they have DNA evidence, surveillance footage, text messages and phone records -- but they've already laid out some of it in court documents ... claiming D4vd and Celeste began a sexual relationship when she was 13.

D4vd's asking if he can ditch his handcuffs for his preliminary hearing in Celeste Rivas' murder case.

According to NBC 4 Los Angeles, the singer filed a motion requesting his cuffs and other restraints be removed for the prelim, which is set to start tomorrow.

D4vd's attorney, Blair Berk, said in the motion that he's never tried to escape or been disruptive, arguing that his 5 court appearances have all been uneventful.

While D4vd sits behind bars awaiting trial for the alleged murder of Celeste Rivas, a new alleged song of his quietly dropped on Spotify ... but it's unclear if he has any involvement.

The track, titled "MARCESCENCE," was taken down after about 8 hours Thursday, data shows. It's no longer playable on the song's page, but the artwork shows D4vd holding a camera in a bathroom mirror.

TMZ has learned there was also a music video for the song on Spotify, but it was ultimately archived. However, a D4vd archive account managed to post it on YouTube.