D4vd pleaded not guilty to the murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, a case which continued with a preliminary hearing yesterday (Thursday, July 23). According to TMZ and a report from Rolling Stone, his lawyers are pushing back in Los Angeles court against alleged evidence linking his DNA to Rivas Hernandez's blood.
Attorney Blair Berk reportedly questioned criminalist Lauren Wallace during the hearing, specifically asking about two chainsaws authorities found at the singer's home. Authorities allegedly found his DNA on a bag that contained cleaning wipes with the teenager's blood. Wallace had testified before about possible blood evidence in the New York-born artist's garage.
She said they didn't swab the chainsaws for DNA because blood testing came back negative, and that they didn't test for his DNA in the house since his profile would be all over. Berk countered by claiming multiple people lived in the home, not just the celebrity. Wallace said she knew this and testified that authorities found jugs of fake blood he was using for merch. A judge will now determine if there is enough evidence here for this to fully go to trial.
D4vd Case Updates
Criminalist Samantha Tosch spoke more about the bag that forms part of evidence, which authorities found during a September 2025 search. She testified that other suspected blood evidence from the garage matched Rivas' DNA profile, along with blood evidence in the compartment of a Tesla that was separate to the vehicle's trunk which housed her deceased body.
Tosch also clarified that DNA can transfer to an object without the person touching it. D4vd's lawyer also downplayed the DNA findings, claiming they only indicate the probability of DNA belonging to someone rather than outright proving it.
This joins other revelations during the D4vd case, including his alleged placement of air fresheners in his Tesla to mask the smell of Celeste Rivas' body. D4vd's former friends have also made claims about the case, claiming he lied to them about Rivas' age and the nature of their alleged relationship. Soon, we will see if this case fully goes to trial or if it hangs in limbo.
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