DNA Expert Ties Bloodstains in D4vd's Garage to Victim

A Los Angeles police DNA specialist testified Thursday that genetic material recovered from multiple locations inside D4vd's Hollywood garage overwhelmingly matches that of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The evidence, prosecutors say, places the dismemberment of the teen squarely at the home of the singer, whose legal name is David Burke.

Criminalist Samantha Tosch detailed how samples from a rubber floor mat, a rowing machine, and a Tesla charging cable all yielded DNA profiles consistent with Rivas Hernandez. The probabilities she cited were astronomical: one result was calculated to be “one septillion times more likely to occur if it originated from Celeste rather than anyone else in the population,” Tosch said, noting the figure contains 24 zeros.

Additional testing on a trash bag and stained cleaning wipes found inside the garage revealed a mixture of DNA from four individuals, at least two male. One of those profiles, Tosch told the court, belonged to Burke. The hearing is a preliminary proceeding where a judge will determine whether there is enough evidence for Burke to stand trial on charges of murder, sexual abuse of a child, and mutilation of a body. He has pleaded not guilty.

Inside the Courtroom: The DNA Debate

Prosecution's Forensic Foundation

The DNA testimony forms a critical pillar of the state's case, directly linking the physical evidence in Burke’s garage to the victim. The fact that samples were found on household items—a mat, exercise equipment, and a charger—is consistent with the alleged dismemberment scenario. The staggering statistical matches, argued by prosecutors, leave little room for coincidence and strongly suggest Rivas Hernandez was present in that space.

Defense Raises Doubt

Under cross-examination, Tosch acknowledged she could not definitively say the DNA came from blood, nor could she establish how or when it was deposited. The possibility of touch DNA—genetic material transferred through casual contact—opens a line of defense questioning how the biological traces ended up on those surfaces. Defense attorney questions also focused on why police did not test the handles of two small chain saws found in the garage, after initial chemical tests showed no blood on their blades. Such gaps in testing may be used to argue the investigation was incomplete or that the prosecution's reconstruction of events is speculative.