Disturbing Discoveries Inside D4vd's Tesla Revealed

Day [music] two of the preliminary. hearing of accused child killer David. Air fresheners in the car, finances, a. possible security guard. [music] Not. only are we going to get into the. substance of the morning session of this. hearing, but our reporter got very close. to David in court [music]. and what she observed was interesting. Welcome to Sidebar, presented by Law &. Crime. I'm Jesse Weber. Okay, so we got [music] day two of this. preliminary hearing in the David case.

Remember, he's facing first-degree. murder, continuous sexual abuse of a. child under 14, and unlawful mutilation. of human remains charges, all in. connection with the death of 14-year-old. Celeste Robinson Hernandez, whose. decomposed, dismembered body was. allegedly found in the front trunk of a. Tesla, allegedly registered to him. This. was back in September of 2025. This is a. hearing where the court will determine. if there's enough evidence for this to. go forward to trial. I don't want to. waste any more time. Let's get into what. happened right now in the morning. session. Let me bring in our eyes, our.

ears, someone who's been in that. courtroom for the past two days, including this morning session. So happy. to have her, NBC LA reporter Julie Dang. Well, I must tell you, terrific notes. I. I'm looking at the live notes that. you've been sending us. So detailed, so. thorough. Again, excellent work. Um. before we even get into the substance of. what has happened in this morning. session, you have to tell us what you've. been seeing in that courtroom, specifically David, right? Because I.

understand you got really, really close. to him today, right? What did you see? >> I I did, Jesse, but first I just want to. tell you again, it is such a treat to be. on this show with you because I love. watching it. Uh so yes, I was sitting. right behind David this morning. I. somehow got a seat in front of where. they were seating other reporters. I. think I think I actually walked in a. little bit later than everybody else. did. So, because of that, they had me.

seated on the end of one of the. attorneys' rows in that courtroom, and I. was right behind David. He didn't look. too great. You know, his hair has grown. out. He is unshaven, and he's wearing. that LA County jail uniform, that orange. jumpsuit, and he still has his feet and. his waist shackled. Um he's not wearing. handcuffs, though. So, he was kind of. splayed out in his chair, arms on his.

armrests. Um I could see his yellow legal notepad. that he had laid out in front of him. So, I was trying to take a peek, trying. to see if he was taking any notes. He. didn't have anything written down. Um. but there definitely were moments this. morning during cross-examination of. witnesses where he did lean in and talk. to his attorneys. Um the first time I. noticed that, it was during. cross-examination.

related to financial management. They. were essentially talking about how much. money he made through his record deal, and how that money was divvied up. Um. because so many people were involved in. this operation. So many people were. making money off of him, to put it. bluntly. And that's a key part of this. case, because murder for financial gain. is one of the special circumstances here. that makes this eligible for the death.

penalty. But the District Attorney. Nathan Hochman did say yesterday they. haven't actually decided yet if that's. something they're going to pursue. >> Yeah, and and I'm glad you mentioned. that, because the idea is, and I'm going. to get to the witnesses who testified. today, if they can show how lucrative. his career was at 11 and 1/2 million. dollars, that if Celeste came out and. exposed him for this alleged illegal. sexual relationship, she was going to. take it all away. So, the more they can.

amplify that, I get where they're going. I get what they're trying to do. Before. we again we get into the substance, I. also understand that Celeste's family. was back in that courtroom. We talked. about yesterday how incredibly difficult. it was for them to have to sit through. the photos of Celeste's body dismembered. found in that Tesla. What was it like to. see them in court today? >> You know, it it's really tough. You. know, Jesse, I told you yesterday I. cannot begin to imagine what they are.

going through. Uh yesterday I was. sitting directly behind them, um three. rows behind. Today I'm sitting at an. angle in the row right behind where. they're seated. So, I can see both of. their facial expressions, the mother and. father of Celeste. Um and I actually. just ran into her mother Mercedes again. upstairs in the restroom. It's it's really tough. Where we just. wrapped before this lunch break, um we.

were hearing a testimony from an LAPD. criminologist. This was one of the. officers called to investigate after the. Tesla was towed uh to one of their tech. centers. So, we were looking at photos. the prosecutor was showing the court of. 11 different air fresheners that were. found in that Tesla. I mean, Celeste's. remains had been in there decomposing.

likely for months. So, to cover up that. smell, somebody put nearly a dozen air. fresheners not just inside the car, but. actually in the front trunk. >> Yeah. >> Um and that's where the cadaver bags. with her remains were found. So, it's. not just that this crime was committed, it's that somebody went to truly. horrifying lengths, Jesse, to try and. cover up their tracks. I I could see her.

parents um kind of shrinking into. themselves and moving a little bit. closer together when those photos came. up. There's so many elements of this. that that are horrifying in ways I I. don't think we can fully imagine for. them. So, I'm I'm curious to see what. their attorney uh what their wrongful. death attorney, who's not actually. involved in this criminal case, what he. has to say to us later today. We chatted.

briefly upstairs. It sounds like he is. going to take more questions from us. later today. >> Let me ask you now about the testimony. So, they continued the testimony of. Benjamin Gregor. I don't know if I'm. saying it the name correctly, this. Mobile Vision Finance Director, this. business associate of David, talking. about David's finances. Talk to me about. what the start of today's testimony was. like. And by the way, I was reading, is. he an interesting witness? Is he a bit. combative in a way? Is his testimony not.

consistent with what he told the grand. jury? So, what exactly is the tone of. his testimony and what did he say today? >> Jesse, that's a really gentle way of. putting it, inconsistent. Yeah, I noted. that yesterday. I sent you guys a couple. notes about that as it was happening. Yes, he does come across as as a little. bit combative um when he's talking to. prosecutors, when he's talking to the.

Deputy DA here, Beth Silverman. When she. was cross-examining him, there were. several instances where he gave her. answers that not just misaligned, but. were in direct opposition to what he. apparently said during grand jury. hearings. Um and she was actually referencing. transcripts from those secret grand jury. hearings. to verify that. To be like, wait a. minute. Did you mean this house or the.

other house. um was going to be put up as collateral. so David could make bail? Um and then she asked him very pointedly. several times, is your testimony accurate today or was. it accurate then? So, I think any. instance where uh a witness is. apparently changing their story on the. stand, it makes you wonder who had they. been talking to? You know, was some kind. of deal perhaps discussed or even.

struck? Why did their story change? And. then obviously, what's in it for them? Because when he was being cross-examined. by defense attorneys, I didn't note the same kind of. misalignment. You know, there were more. instances of Benjamin Gregor um who was. one of the financial managers for David. when he first came to LA as a musical. artist. There were more instances of. Gregor telling defense attorneys, yes, that's correct, that's the case,

correct, I agree. I did not hear that. when he was answering questions from the. prosecutor. >> So, just to be clear, was his testimony. supporting the idea that he had no idea. about Celeste? That David was the one. who was buying travel tickets for. Celeste? Cuz a big theme of this is who. would have known about this alleged. secret sexual relationship? Was he. trying to suggest that David was the one. who was buying things and the travel all. on his own and he had no part in it?

>> This was my takeaway from Benjamin. Gregor's testimony which is where we. ended the hearing yesterday and where we. started back up this morning. Celeste. actually did not come up at all. The. entire thing was just about financial. management. And the narrative that I. felt like defense attorneys were trying. to push here was the idea that David. didn't manage his own finances. He was. living independently in LA for the very.

first time away from his family. They. were still in Texas. His parents had two. younger kids. David has a younger. brother and a younger sister. They were. all out of state in Texas and he was in. LA alone. So it it sounded to me like. they were trying to paint a picture. of a young budding artist who was busy. with his recording career, in meetings. every day, in recording sessions, meeting with producers, and and not. really, you know, involved in the.

day-to-day financial management. So it. became clear in their line of. questioning from defense attorneys that. Benjamin Gregor was primarily dealing. with Colleen Berk. That's David's. mother. She was the one who, according. to Gregor, would pay half the rent on. his house. She would pay bills. She set up. companies in David's name for. publishing, for merchandising. So I. don't know. It sounds like the defense.

is trying to separate David somewhat. um from his finances. So we'll see where. that goes, but Celeste did not come up. at all when they were talking to the. >> That's interesting. Maybe they're trying. to say, "Yeah, he really didn't have a. good sense of how much he had to lose, about how lucrative his career was, but. right at the same time, I mean, how. could he not know?" Oh, I had to ask. you. I saw this. Did Gregor mention this. Sheldon character, this. live-in security guard? Was that. relevant to you?

>> Yeah, that came up this morning. I think. all of this is trying to paint a picture. of how removed David may have been um. from what was happening around him. But, that's not the sense I got just looking. at David sitting so close to him today. There was another witness who was called. to the stand after Benjamin Gregory this. morning um from Interscope. And it was a. similar line of questioning about.

accounts payable, how much money was. made, money in, money out. Um and and. the way David was staring intently at. the financial documents that were. presented as exhibits. Um the way he was. huddling with his own attorneys and and. the way he seemed engaged during this. cross-examination that I'll be honest. was tedious. It was a little bit dry. I. did not see many reporters around me, you know, feverishly taking notes. But, David's. level of engagement during all of this.

makes me wonder if he actually had more. of a hand in managing or at the very. least understanding his own finances, how much he was worth, how much he was. making, and how much more he could stand. to make as an artist. >> Talking about where I think you tell me. if I'm wrong, people probably started. writing down feverishly feverishly. Someone from the California Highway. Patrol testified, right? Can you tell us. who that person was and what they.

testified to? >> So, this was interesting for me. personally, Jesse. Um it was a CHP. officer, California Highway Patrol. He's. assigned to the Santa Barbara area. As. soon as he walked in and they said that, I thought, "Oh, here we go. This is. going to be the piece of testimony. during prelim related to Lake Cachuma up. in Santa and County." So, I love that. area. I love Santa Barbara. I actually. took a road trip up there a couple of.

weeks ago back in June because I wanted. to check out State Road 154 myself. You. know, we all have read in court. documents that a Caltrans worker back in. January apparently found Celeste's ID up. there. And prosecutors have been. alleging that David took a trip up there. the day after Celeste was allegedly. stabbed and left to bleed to death. Um he allegedly drove up there in his.

own car to dispose of evidence. So, this. morning this CHP officer testified that. he was called to the scene after that. Caltrans worker found the passport card. We actually saw a photo of that passport. card. Um we saw a photo of exactly where, just. off the roadway, it was reportedly. found. And then we heard some back and. forth on where defense attorneys.

cross-examined him and asked, you know, was there any traffic control? Do you. know if it was found face up or face. down? Was it buried under anything? Did. it just rain a day or two ago? Um so, there are questions about how exactly it. ended up there. But, it was very. interesting to hear from a witness who. was actually called to that scene after. I drove up there my myself because I was. curious about where, you know, off the. roadway, how close to the lake this.

could have happened. >> And and the defense is questioning. exactly how that passport card. would have gotten there, that there were. maybe other means other than David. allegedly tossing it. >> Absolutely. It sounds like they're. setting up an argument. where they could say that it was washed. over there, you know, by rainwater. It. did just rain, I think a day or two. before it was found by that Caltrans. worker.

beginning of January of this year. So, this is months after the body was found. last September. And this is more than half a year after. she died last April. So, there are a lot. of questions about how it ended up. there. I imagine the prosecution later. on they're going to share evidence about. the drives up there because they are. alleging that David took that trip in. his own car. I I don't believe the remains of Celeste.

were in that front trunk just yet. Again, this was April 24th. So, that. would have been the day after the. alleged stabbing. And then later that. day, this this was wild, Jesse. We. haven't talked about this yet. In court. during the preliminary hearing, but I. know you read this in the in the initial. documents, that same day of the Santa. Barbara road trip, April 24th, David.

went back home and then taped an. interview promoting his album that came. out the next day. >> Yeah, and I wonder if the defense is So, the prosecution will say, "My gosh, look. at what he's doing, right? You know, pretty sick." The defense could say, "If. he really brutally killed someone, he's. going to do an interview right after? I. mean, that's the Is that what we're. expected to believe?" I wonder if that's. where they're going to go. By the way, let me ask you this, big picture here. You and I both know the standard for.

this to continue is very low. The. prosecution has the advantage. All they. have to show is probable cause to. support these charges, not beyond a. reasonable doubt that he committed these. crimes or allegedly committed these. crimes. Probable cause. It seems very. likely the judge is going to look at the. evidence when it's presented and say. this can go to trial. However, you are. seeing the building blocks of the. defense. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does it. seem to you the defense has been saying. over the course of 2 days A, this is a.

sloppy investigation, things were not. tested the way they should be tested, you can't definitively say these items. were used to kill or dismember Celeste, and also this one, the whole purchase. history. All the things that he. allegedly purchased after he allegedly. killed her, the laundry bags, the cadaver bag, the chainsaws, that he. didn't buy them before. So, they're. trying to set up the argument maybe this.

was not planned, that hey, we don't. really know the circumstances of what. happened in that house. Maybe he acted. in self-defense. Maybe it was a heat of. the passion kind of killing. Am I. totally off base are you starting to see. some of those things from the defense if. this should go to trial? >> I think you're spot-on, Jesse. I think. they're setting up a couple different. arguments and based on where this might. go and what might come up next. I agree. with you. I mean, the the legal standard.

for this to have enough probable cause. to go to trial is very low. You know, this does not need to be proven beyond a. reasonable doubt here. It's like a mini. bench trial and everybody covering this. I think is expecting this to have enough. probable cause to proceed to trial. Um, it does give defense attorneys an. opportunity to get a feel for witnesses. that prosecutors are going to call. This. is like a like a summary of the evidence.

and witness testimony. So, that's going. to help inform whatever kind of. arguments um, they eventually want to. present. I think they're testing out um, a couple different things right now, but. you're right. That that was a point that. came up yesterday. The fact that all of. these incriminating items that were. purchased under a fake name, but then. sent to David's house. None of those purchases happened before.

April 23rd. Now, defense attorneys are not spelling. out for us what they're trying to say by. making that point, but they definitely. made that point. So, we'll see where. they go with that and everything else. they've called out pretty methodically. about the investigation, right? And the. chain of custody. with several pieces of critical. evidence. You know, was that left alone? Did you have a log of everybody who was.

at the crime scene? Did you guys do. traffic control for the entire time. before CHP was called in after the. Caltrans worker found that passport. card? Did he note whether it was face up. or face down? Did you fingerprint it? There's a lot of that and I think. defense attorneys are going to keep up. that line of questioning, that type of. cross-examination. until we're done with this preliminary. hearing, which could take up to 5 days. >> Well, listen, Julia, I can't thank you. enough for coming on. This is incredible.

reporting. We don't have cameras. We do. not have audio equipment in there. It's. not permitted. You have been really. illustrating the picture for us about. what has been happening there and I know. that our audience appreciates it. I know. that I appreciate it and I know you also. have to jump back in. So, Julia Dang, thank you so much for coming on and. let's have this conversation tomorrow. >> You bet. Thank you. >> And that's all we have for you right now. here on Sidebar, everybody. Thank you so. much for joining us and as always, please subscribe on YouTube, Apple.

Podcast, Spotify, wherever you should. get your podcast. You can also check us. out on NBC's Peacock as well. If you. want to follow me, X Instagram. My News. Nation show, Jesse Weber Live, Monday. through Friday, 11:00 p.m. Eastern. See. you next time, everybody.