Moon

D4VD Preliminary Hearing: Court is on a brief recess. I'll post a full video update at lunch with everything that happened this morning. For now, here are some of the biggest moments from testimony so far (I'm going backwards). ⚠️ Trigger warning: The evidence discussed and shown in court is extremely graphic. @LAmag D4vd appeared in court without handcuffs but remained restrained with a waist chain. Throughout the proceedings, he appeared calm and relaxed, sitting back in his chair. As prosecutors displayed graphic crime scene photographs, he kept his eyes fixed on the courtroom monitors and did not appear to look away. Very striking. D.A. Hochman is sitting in the second row. 🚨 STATE SECOND WITNESS LAPD Robbery-Homicide Detective Joshua Byers testified he responded to a Hollywood tow yard on Sept. 8, 2025, after employees reported a strong odor coming from a black Tesla registered to David Burke. Detective Joshua Byers testified investigators obtained a search warrant after tow yard employees reported the odor. Inside the Tesla's front trunk, they discovered a partially unzipped black body bag containing dismembered human remains. ****I had a hard time looking at the photographs and exhibits shown in court today, as did several other reporters. D4vd, however, never appeared to look away. He kept his eyes fixed on the screen for the entire presentation. ⚠️ GRAPHIC We were shown photographs from inside the Tesla's front trunk depicting the body bag, with severed limbs- arms and legs; covered in blood, insect activity, and decomposing. The bags and the body parts were wet and bloody- we saw the bag closed inside of the "frunk," and then opened on the ground. Detective Byers testified the remains also included a torso, head, and severed extremities. We saw another bloody photo of the head and torso, and I believe I saw some black curly hair. He also noted blue plastic or fiber fragments embedded in the cut surfaces of some limbs, including near a kneecap. Detective Byers further testified the victim's left ring finger and pinky finger had been amputated, along with the right index finger with the Shhhh. Due to advanced decomposition, he said he could not identify the victim's face because of "skin slippage." ---------- FIRST STATE WITNESS The prosecution's first witness, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sr. Deputy Juan Gonzalez, testified he responded to David Burke's home on Feb. 17, 2024, to conduct a welfare check after Riverside County investigators reported 13-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez missing. Deputy Juan Gonzalez testified David Burke told him he met Celeste through social media and Discord in 2020 or 2021, had only met her once in person, and believed she was 18 years old because "she told me she was 18." Deputy Gonzalez testified Burke told investigators the last time he spoke with Celeste was Feb. 13, 2024, and the last time he saw her was Nov. 12, 2023. Burke also showed deputies a sixth-grade yearbook photo of Celeste and a missing-person flyer during the welfare check. Of Note: Celeste looked about 11 years old in the yearbook photo D4vd had, and she was wearing a batman sweatshirt. Deputies searched Burke's Doheny Drive home with his consent while looking for Celeste. Gonzalez testified he noticed some Hello Kitty items but said Burke explained it was an "artist house" where other people frequently stayed. Body camera footage shown in court captured Burke telling deputies, "She told me she's 18, but everyone is saying she's 13," while providing Celeste's phone number and discussing how they met. During cross-examination, Burke's attorney Regina Peter emphasized that Burke was cooperative, voluntarily provided Celeste's information, and repeatedly stated he believed she was 18 years old. On redirect, prosecutors asked whether Burke ever told deputies he had been in a sexual relationship with Celeste or helped her leave her home, as the defense was insinuating he had been cooporative with officers and told the truth. Defense attorneys objected before the questions were answered, and the judge sustained the objection. More later! @LAmag