Singer D4vd has been assigned a public defender after his high-profile private legal team withdrew from his murder case in Los Angeles, where he pleaded not guilty to charges connected to the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The 21-year-old performer, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, appeared before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo on Monday, August 31. His lawyers Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter were replaced by deputy public defender Walid Kandeel.
The former defence team said the court had approved its request to withdraw after determining that Burke qualified for appointed representation.
“We continue to support David and his defence against these serious charges,” the lawyers said in a statement. “We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him.”
The reason for the change was not disclosed. The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office said it could not reveal Burke’s financial information, but confirmed that a “thorough financial evaluation” had found him eligible for its services.
The switch has raised questions because evidence presented at an earlier hearing indicated that Burke had earned at least $10 million from his music between 2023 and 2025. The Los Angeles Times reported that the discussion about the change in representation took place in chambers and that the transcript had been sealed.
Burke entered a fresh not guilty plea to charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He had been ordered to stand trial last month after a five-day preliminary hearing during which prosecutors called 12 witnesses.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office alleges that Burke killed Rivas Hernandez at his Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, and later dismembered her remains. Her decomposed body was found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke on September 8 last year.
Prosecutors have also alleged that he ordered a shovel, chainsaws, a body bag and a blue inflatable pool in the days after the killing. They said blood matching Rivas Hernandez’s DNA was found in the garage and that blue plastic fragments from the pool were embedded in her remains.
The prosecution claims Burke feared that an alleged sexual relationship with Rivas Hernandez would damage his emerging music career. Burke’s defence has previously denied that he killed her, while prosecutors acknowledge that no witness is alleged to have seen the killing and that the tools they believe were used have not been recovered.
Public defender Walid Kandeel said his office recognised the loss of life at the centre of the case, while stressing that Burke was entitled to a full defence and that the evidence would be carefully examined.
If convicted, Burke could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty. Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said on Monday that prosecutors had not yet decided whether to seek capital punishment.
No trial date has been set. Burke is due back in court for a status conference on October 19.
