The courtroom was thick with tension as prosecutors unveiled a chilling new detail from inside the Tesla belonging to accused child killer David — nearly a dozen air fresheners strategically placed to mask the stench of a decomposing body that allegedly lay in the front trunk for months. The revelation came during the second day of the preliminary hearing in Los Angeles, where the 19-year-old music star, known professionally as D4vd, faces first-degree murder, continuous sexual 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮 of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains charges in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Robinson Hernandez.
Testimony from an LAPD criminologist brought the horror into sharp focus. Photos displayed in court showed eleven different air fresheners not only hung throughout the vehicle but also stuffed inside the front trunk where cadaver bags holding Celeste’s dismembered remains were discovered back in September 2025. The scent of vanilla and pine could not hide the truth.
Lead prosecutor Beth Silverman methodically walked through each image, forcing the court to confront the calculated effort to cover up the crime. Celeste’s parents, seated just feet away, visibly recoiled and pressed closer together as the pictures flashed on the screen.
The hearing, taking place at the Los Angeles County Superior Court, is designed to determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial. Legal experts widely expect the judge to find probable cause, setting the stage for a trial that could take years. But the proceedings have already revealed a tangled web of finances, travel records, and a road trip to a remote lake that prosecutors say was part of a cover-up.
NBC Los Angeles reporter Julie Dang, who has been inside the courtroom for both days, described the scene with remarkable detail. She was seated directly behind the defendant during the morning session. David appeared disheveled, his hair grown out, face unshaven, clad in an orange LA County jail jumpsuit with shackles on his feet and waist but no handcuffs.
He sat splayed in his chair, arms resting on the armrests, a yellow legal pad untouched on the table in front of him. Yet Dang observed him lean in to whisper with his attorneys during critical moments of cross-examination, particularly when the topic turned to his finances.
The financial testimony proved central to the prosecution’s theory that murder was committed for financial gain, a special circumstance that could make the case eligible for the death penalty. Benjamin Gregor, a financial manager from Mobile Vision Finance who worked with David after he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career, took the stand for a second day. Under questioning from the defense, Gregor painted a picture of a young artist largely disconnected from his own money.
He testified that David’s mother, Colleen Berk, handled the bulk of the financial management, paying rent, setting up companies for publishing and merchandising, and managing half of the household bills.
But when prosecutor Beth Silverman took over, the tone shifted sharply. Gregor’s answers became combative, and Silverman produced transcripts from secret grand jury hearings that appeared to contradict his current testimony. She pressed him repeatedly: “Is your testimony accurate today, or was it accurate then?”
The implication hung in the air — that someone had spoken to the witness, perhaps a deal had been struck, and his story had shifted to favor the defense. The exchange underscored the high stakes of a case where the young star’s future hangs in the balance.
The narrative the defense is trying to shape became clearer: David was a teenager catapulted into fame, his days filled with recording sessions and meetings, not spreadsheets. They suggested he had little awareness of the millions flowing through his accounts — his record deal alone worth $11. 5 million.
The prosecution, meanwhile, uses that same wealth to argue motive. If Celeste had 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓭 their alleged illegal sexual relationship, they claim, David stood to lose everything. The more they can amplify the value of his career, the stronger their argument that he killed to protect his fortune.
But the financial testimony was only part of a morning session that also ventured into the physical evidence. A California Highway Patrol officer assigned to Santa Barbara took the stand to describe the discovery of Celeste’s passport card near Lake Cachuma in January. The location is significant because prosecutors allege David drove there on April 24 — the day after Celeste was allegedly stabbed and left to bleed to death in his home.
They say he went to dispose of evidence. The officer testified that a Caltrans worker found the ID just off State Road 154, and photos of the exact spot were shown to the court.
Under cross-examination, the defense questioned everything about the find: Was the card face up or face down? Had it rained recently? Was there traffic control?
The implication was that the passport card could have washed into the area from another location, perhaps carried by rainwater days before it was discovered. The officer conceded that it had rained one or two days prior. The defense is clearly building a case that the investigation was sloppy, that chain of custody was broken, and that critical evidence may be unreliable.
The same day of that alleged road trip, David returned home and recorded an interview promoting his upcoming album, set for release the next day. The prosecution will point to that as the cold calculation of a killer. The defense will ask: Would a murderer sit for a cheerful interview hours after a killing?
That argument may resonate with a jury, but the standard at this preliminary hearing is far lower than beyond a reasonable doubt. Probable cause is the only requirement.
Julie Dang noted how intently David watched the financial documents presented as exhibits during what she described as tedious testimony. Most reporters around her were not taking notes, but David was huddled with his attorneys, engaged, focused. That level of attention, she suggested, may indicate he had more understanding of his finances than the defense wants the court to believe.
The hearing is expected to continue for up to five days, with more witnesses including forensic experts, law enforcement, and possibly the mother of the accused. The defense has already began laying the groundwork for a theory of self-defense or heat-of-passion killing by highlighting that all the incriminating items purchased under a 𝒻𝒶𝓀𝑒 name — chainsaws, laundry bags, cadaver bags — were bought after April 23, not before. They argue that suggests no premeditation, no plan to commit murder.
The prosecution, of course, sees those purchases as evidence of a cover-up after the fact.
Celeste’s parents have been present every day, their grief palpable. Her mother, Mercedes, spoke briefly with reporters during a break, but declined to comment on the proceedings. Their attorney indicated he would address the media later, but the raw emotion in the courtroom was unmistakable.
As photos of the air fresheners were shown, her parents moved closer together, as if bracing against a blow.
The case has captivated millions, not only because of the 𝓈𝒽𝓸𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 nature of the crime but also because of the defendant’s fame. D4vd rose to 𝓿𝒾𝓇𝒶𝓁 stardom with his song “Romantic Homicide,” a chilling irony that has not been lost on observers. The trial, should it proceed, will likely be one of the most closely watched in recent memory.
For now, the courtroom remains a stage where every detail is dissected, every witness grilled, and every piece of evidence scrutinized. The judge will weigh the probable cause threshold, but the defense is using this hearing as a dress rehearsal, testing arguments and identifying weaknesses. The prosecution is laying out its case with meticulous detail, hoping to leave no doubt that this case must go to trial.
As the lunch recess ended, reporters scrambled back to their seats. The afternoon session would bring more testimony, more photos, more painful moments for a family seeking justice. The smell of air fresheners may have faded from that Tesla, but the stench of this crime lingers over every proceeding.