D4vd Celeste Rivas hearing turns to family travel consent claim
D4vd’s lawyers say Celeste Rivas’ family knew of contact with him and approved travel before she was found dead in his car.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
D4vd’s Celeste Rivas hearing shifted Monday to a sharp defense claim: his lawyers said her family knew she was spending time with the singer before she was found dead in his car, according to TMZ.
TMZ reported that attorneys for D4vd raised the claim on the fifth day of his preliminary hearing, presenting evidence they said showed relatives were aware of contact between Celeste and D4vd and did not stop it.
The defense evidence, as described by TMZ, included an allegation that Celeste’s sister traveled with them to one of D4vd’s Las Vegas shows. His lawyers also pointed to a notarized travel form they said showed Celeste’s parents consented to her going to London for a week in 2024 without other family members.
What did D4vd’s defense say about Celeste Rivas’ family?
D4vd’s defense team argued that Celeste’s family knew there was contact between her and D4vd, TMZ reported. The lawyers said the alleged Las Vegas trip and the London travel consent form undercut earlier statements from the family that they did not know him.
Those claims land against what Celeste’s father, Jesus Rivas, previously told TMZ through his attorney, Patrick Steinfeld. In May, Jesus Rivas said he had never had contact with D4vd, according to TMZ.
Jesus Rivas also said at the time that the family had not received money from D4vd or from anyone in D4vd’s family, TMZ reported.
What prosecutors have alleged in the case
Prosecutors have presented evidence during the preliminary hearing that included photos of Celeste’s decomposed body and alleged text messages, according to TMZ. Prosecutors argued the messages showed D4vd and Celeste had a sexual relationship when she was 14 years old.
D4vd has been charged with Celeste’s murder. Prosecutors allege he killed her because she threatened to expose what they describe as an illegal sexual relationship, TMZ reported.
D4vd has pleaded not guilty.
The hearing has also featured graphic and emotional evidence, according to TMZ’s earlier reporting. Prosecutors have shown images tied to Celeste’s death and alleged communications they say describe escalating tension between her and D4vd before she was killed.
The defense presentation Monday did not erase the murder charge or the prosecution’s allegations. It introduced a competing point for the court to weigh at this stage: whether Celeste’s family’s reported knowledge and alleged travel approvals affect how the prosecution’s account should be viewed.
The case remains in the preliminary hearing phase, with D4vd still facing the murder charge and maintaining his not guilty plea.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.