Two high-profile LA murder cases return to court Wednesday

Two of Los Angeles' most closely watched criminal cases return to court Wednesday, with singer D4vd facing a status hearing in the alleged sexual abuse and murder of a teenager and Nick Reiner scheduled for a pretrial hearing on charges he killed his parents, director Rob Reiner and Michelle Reiner, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The hearings mark a pivotal week in two cases that have gripped Southern California. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty and are held at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles.

Singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, faces a status hearing Wednesday afternoon in connection with the alleged sexual abuse and murder of teenager Celeste Rivas Hernandez, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. The Medical Examiner's office determined Rivas Hernandez died from "multiple penetrating injuries," and her body was found dismembered in D4vd's Tesla. Certain drugs were also found in her system.

Prosecutors found a significant amount of child sexual abuse material on D4vd's phone, along with more than 40 terabytes of evidence across computers, tablets and iCloud accounts, ABC7 reported. D4vd, arrested earlier this month, has pleaded not guilty. His preliminary hearing could come as early as May 1.

Separately, Nick Reiner is set for a pretrial hearing Wednesday morning on charges he murdered his parents in their Brentwood home. Rob and Michelle Reiner were found stabbed to death on Dec. 14, 2025, according to ABC7. Nick Reiner, who had been living on his parents' property, was taken into custody within hours of the discovery.

Nick Reiner had argued with his father at a holiday party the night before the killings and was observed acting strangely afterward, ABC7 reported. He has also pleaded not guilty.

Jake Reiner, Rob and Michelle's eldest son, remembered his parents as "guiding lights" and "the most giving people I have ever known."

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told ABC7 that preliminary hearings in cases like D4vd's rely heavily on law enforcement testimony. "During the preliminary hearing, I expect law enforcement witnesses to testify and summarize the evidence," Rahmani said. "The typical rules of evidence don't apply at a prelim. So LAPD officers and detectives can talk about what other witnesses said. Expect to hear a lot of that."

D4vd's preliminary hearing could occur as soon as May 1. Both defendants remain in custody at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles as their cases move through the courts.