D4vd’s financial situation is drawing new scrutiny after the singer qualified for a public defender in his murder case and his father reportedly made significant real estate moves in Texas in the months leading up to the change in legal representation. Real estate records show D4vd’s father, Dawud Burke, sold a three-bedroom, two-bathroom Houston home for $229,000 in early July. The outlet also reports that Burke took out a $138,000 loan in late April against a separate Houston property described as a three-bedroom, one-bathroom home.
The transactions are attracting attention because they surfaced just as questions about D4vd’s money troubles became a major issue in his criminal case. There is currently no public evidence establishing that either property transaction was made to fund D4vd’s defense, and the records alone do not explain what happened to the singer’s reported music earnings.
D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, appeared in Los Angeles court on August 31 and pleaded not guilty to murder, continuous lewd and lascivious acts involving a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains, according to the Associated Press. His former private attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter withdrew from the case after a judge determined that Burke qualified for court-appointed representation.
The attorneys did not publicly say that unpaid legal bills caused their departure.
In a statement provided to TMZ, the attorneys said, “This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel.”
They continued, “We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges. 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 Associated Press reports that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office conducted what it described as a thorough financial evaluation before determining that Burke was eligible for its services. Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel has since taken over his defense.
Kandeel said in a statement reported by the Associated Press, “We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our sympathies to those who are grieving. At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence.”
What makes D4vd’s money troubles particularly striking is the amount of revenue attached to his music career before his arrest.
According to the Associated Press, testimony during an earlier hearing showed Burke earned at least $10 million through music between 2023 and 2025. TMZ separately reports that his Interscope agreement was worth $11 million.
More detailed testimony reported by Rolling Stone provides additional context. Louis Poimiroo, a senior vice president of finance at Interscope, testified that the label paid Burke and his companies millions during the relationship, including approximately $3.9 million in 2023 and $2.3 million in 2025. According to Rolling Stone, Poimiroo also testified that Interscope ended its deal with Burke at the end of 2025 and had paid him nothing in 2026.
Those figures help explain why his qualification for appointed counsel immediately raised questions, but gross career earnings do not necessarily represent cash that remained personally available to Burke after taxes, commissions, business expenses, advances, legal costs or other obligations. No publicly released accounting has established exactly where his previous earnings went.
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family is openly challenging Burke’s indigency determination.
Family attorney Patrick Steinfeld told TMZ, “The Rivas Hernandez family was shocked to learn that David Anthony Burke claims to be indigent.”
Steinfeld continued, “It is unfathomable that our justice system qualifies David Anthony Burke as indigent when D4VD has 5+ billion streams with 16 million monthly listeners on a single streaming platform, and controls three corporations.”
He identified the businesses as D4VD Entertainment, Skullrose Merchandising and Headspace Publishing, according to TMZ.
Steinfeld added, “David Anthony Burke is not indigent. His assets are protected by his companies. Perhaps he would have money if he just asked one of his corporations.”
Those statements represent the Rivas Hernandez family’s position and do not establish that corporate assets are legally available to Burke personally or that assets were improperly shielded. The court nevertheless found him financially eligible for appointed counsel after the public defender’s financial review.
The family’s attorney also told TMZ, “We as a family only want justice for Celeste and for whoever is responsible to face the full force of the law. And we thank everyone for supporting our daughter in every way.”
Meanwhile, the criminal allegations facing D4vd remain severe.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, a judge ruled in July that prosecutors presented enough evidence for Burke to stand trial in connection with the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Prosecutors allege Burke killed the teenager in April 2025 after sexually abusing her and fearing disclosure of the relationship would destroy his emerging career.
The Associated Press reports that prosecutors allege Rivas Hernandez sent Burke a message the night before her death saying, “i will end ur career and ur life.” Prosecutors allege Burke later arranged transportation for her to his home and killed her there. Her dismembered and decomposing remains were discovered months later inside a Tesla registered to Burke while he was away on tour.
Burke has pleaded not guilty.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said after the August 31 hearing that prosecutors remain “ready to prove all three charges beyond a reasonable doubt,” according to the Associated Press. Hochman also said his office has not yet decided whether to seek the death penalty.
For now, D4vd’s money troubles have created another unresolved layer in an already closely watched case. A singer who generated millions during his rapid rise in music is now relying on a taxpayer-funded defense, while property transactions involving his father and questions raised by the victim’s family are putting renewed focus on exactly what happened to the fortune attached to that success.
