Episode
Can D4VD's Defense Separate The Killing From What Happened After?
- Published
- Jul 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2306
- Processing state
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- https://audioboom.com/posts/8913719
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Summary
Even if D4VD's defense creates doubt about who caused Celeste Rivas Hernandez's death, there's a second problem that may be harder to solve: explaining the condition in which her remains were found. This look back, with criminal defense attorney Bob Motta, examines whether a defense can realistically separate those two questions in front of a jury — and what happens when they can't. Burke's attorneys said publicly he "was not the cause of her death." That language is specific enough to signal a theory — but the prosecution's case isn't built on a single charge. It's layered: first-degree murder, three special circumstances, additional charges related to the victim's age, and a separate count addressing what was done to her remains. Motta walks through how prosecutors use that layering to reinforce each charge — the alleged relationship with a child creating the motive, the financial-gain allegation tying the killing to career preservation, and the witness-killing circumstance connecting the two. The defense has to do more than challenge individual pieces. They have to offer jurors an alternative narrative that accounts for a fourteen-year-old girl ending up in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to their client. Not just doubt — an explanation. Motta examines how the defense might attempt that and where it breaks down. He also addresses the pattern of resistance from Burke's circle — parents fighting subpoenas, associates fleeing testimony — and what happens if prosecutors pursue the harshest possible penalty. Burke has pleaded not guilty. We revisit where the case stood at the time of our reporting. Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/ Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTub…