Text messages between D4vd and Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old he is accused of murdering, show the teenager had been pregnant and had an abortion a year prior to her death.
The text exchanges between D4vd (whose legal name is David Anthony Burke) and Rivas Hernandez took place in 2024, the year before her body was found in an impounded Tesla registered to the singer in September 2025. According to multiple media reports, the texts were shown on Friday, July 24 during a court hearing for a judge to determine if the singer, 21, should go on trial for her death.
“What [if] the first abortion didn’t work?” read a text from Rivas Hernandez to D4vd in June 2024. (Rivas Hernandez was 13 at the time, while D4vd was 19.)
In earlier text messages sent in January 2024 and heard in court on Friday, D4vd apologized to Rivas Hernandez for “putting her through this.”
In response, Rivas Hernandez texted back, “It’s okay. Neither of us are capable of watching and taking care of the baby. it’s for the best, no?”
The text messages also reveal D4vd asked to confirm he is the father. A text read, “Also my mother always told me to ask this question if I was ever in this situation … it is mine right?”
According to testimony from a detective, Rivas Hernandez replied, “Of course it’s yours David.”
Another text sent by D4vd to Rivas Hernandez in June 2024 and heard in court on Friday read, “Let’s let this abortion be the last one til we have the real one…”
Prosecutors are seeking to prove D4vd sexually abused Rivas Hernandez as a minor then killed her when she threatened to reveal the abuse and destroy his career.
D4vd has pleaded not guilty to murder, sexual abuse of a child and mutilation of a body, and his lawyers insist that he is innocent.
The preliminary hearing in D4vd’s murder case began on Tuesday, July 21. Once the hearing concludes, a judge will determine if prosecutors presented enough evidence for the case to move forward to trial.
D4vd was arrested in April, which was seven months after Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered body was found inside the front trunk of a vehicle at a Los Angeles tow yard on September 8, 2025.
“Detectives from Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery-Homicide Division have arrested David Burke, a 21-year-old resident of Los Angeles, for the murder of Celeste Rivas. Burke is being held without bail,” the LAPD said in a statement at the time of D4vd’s arrest. “The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s office on Monday for filing consideration.”
Following his arrest, D4vd’s attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter addressed the situation while issuing a statement to TMZ.
“Let us be clear — the actual evidence in this case will show that David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez and he was not the cause of her death,” the statement read. “There has been no indictment returned by any grand jury in this case and no criminal complaint filed.”
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