According to a trial recap videos by content creator Sloanhooks, graphic evidence presented during a preliminary hearing detailed the brutal final moments of a 13-year-old girl named Celeste Rivas Hernandez, with a medical examiner confirming she died from multiple stab wounds allegedly inflicted by the suspect, D4vd.
Dr. Grant Ho testified that the victim suffered a penetrating wound to her liver roughly one-and-a-half inches deep and a punctured diaphragm. These injuries caused severe haemorrhaging and allowed air to enter her chest cavity, ultimately leading to her death. The suspect reportedly showed no emotion as graphic photos of the victim’s chest were displayed in the courtroom.
Gruesome crime scene evidence
Ho noted the body showed significant decomposition, including skin slippage, partial skeletalisation and dismemberment. The teenager’s legs were severed above and below the knee.
In a bizarre twist linking D4vd to a cover-up attempt, investigators found fragments of an inflatable pool on the victim’s kneecap. A criminalist confirmed the pieces matched a pool D4vd purchased online. He allegedly tried to wash and dry the plastic material to destroy evidence.
Defence attorney Marilyn Bednarski questioned whether the victim could have inflicted the fatal wounds herself. Ho firmly dismissed the theory, stating it was impossible for the minor to have held the weapon and noting the strikes occurred in rapid succession. Toxicology reports also ruled out an overdose, confirming the death was a homicide.
Disturbing digital trail of D4vd and Celeste
Detective Corey Farrell shifted the focus to the illicit dynamic between the 18-year-old suspect and the minor. Farrell described text messages and photos documenting their interactions, which included discussions about pregnancy, an abortion in early 2024 and emergency contraception.
Messages from late 2023 highlighted the pregnancy scare, while later texts revealed the minor expressed deep guilt over the termination. Other messages documented the physical pain she experienced during their encounters. The evidence proved too distressing for Celeste’s mother, who excused herself from the courtroom.
The prosecution, led by Beth Silverman, also presented evidence of «Operation Awesome», a code name the pair used to plan the teenager’s escape from home. This plot allegedly involved a bodyguard named Sheldon Jacques, who drove the minor to Hollywood parties, facilitated the use of fake IDs and provided transportation between clubs.
