A judge has ruled that US musician D4vd will go on trial for murder over the death of a teenage girl.

The decision came after a five-day preliminary hearing, in which Los Angeles prosecutors questioned a dozen witnesses and displayed graphic photographic evidence as 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family watched on.

The star, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, is accused of killing the girl, whose remains were found last September in a Tesla registered to his address.

Burke, 21, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering and sexually abusing her.

Burke is scheduled to be in court next on 31 August to have the charges against him formally read. The trial is to start within 90 days of that date.

The charges include first-degree murder, mutilation of human remains and child sexual abuse. The murder charges include special circumstances linked to financial gain that could make Burke potentially liable for the death sentence.

Prosecutors have alleged Burke stabbed the teen before dismembering her body after years of sexual abuse.

The accusation of murder ​for financial gain is among the special circumstances included ​in the charges making Burke potentially liable for ⁠the death sentence.

They allege he killed her because the teen had threatened to reveal his relationship with a minor and destroy his multi-million dollar music career.

Evidence read in court on Monday showed threats Hernandez made to Burke on 22 April 2025, stemming from arguments about his friendship with another girl.

“I swear to GOD I will kill u”, one expletive-laden text said, followed by a threat to strangle him and tell her dad lies about him. “i will end ur career and ur life I will damage anything,” the text went on.