D4vd made a major change to his defense Monday when his private attorneys withdrew from his case and a Los Angeles County public defender took over his representation.
The unexpected shakeup in the D4vd murder case unfolded during an August 31 court appearance in Los Angeles, where the 21-year-old singer, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, entered a new not guilty plea to charges connected to the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. According to the Associated Press, attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter were permitted to withdraw after a judge determined Burke qualified for appointed counsel.
Lawyers for David Burke, aka singer D4vd, announced in a press release they are bailing on him and he’s now represented by public defenders.
He’s to plead not guilty to Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s murder in LA again today now that the judge has found probable cause. pic.twitter.com/IbjkHxp5Z7
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) August 31, 2026
According to NBC News, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo directly confirmed the decision with Burke in court, asking, “Is that your wish, Mr. Burke?” before Burke responded, “Yes.”
Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel then took over Burke’s representation. According to the Associated Press, Kandeel requested additional time before the arraignment so he could review the case, but Olmedo denied the request and required a plea to be entered Monday. The court scheduled Burke to return for a status conference on October 19, while no trial date has been set.
Burke’s former attorneys later addressed their departure in a statement reported by NBC News and other outlets.
“This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel,” the attorneys said.
“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 precise reason for the change has not been publicly disclosed. The Associated Press reported that the Public Defender’s Office conducted a financial evaluation and determined Burke was eligible for its services. AP also reported that testimony presented during an earlier hearing indicated Burke earned at least $10 million from his music between 2023 and 2025. Neither Burke nor his former attorneys have publicly explained the financial circumstances behind his eligibility.
The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office acknowledged Celeste’s family while emphasizing Burke’s constitutional right to representation.
“We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our sympathies to those who are grieving,” the office said. “At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence. We are committed to providing him with that defense.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman also addressed Burke’s new representation, telling NBC News, “I’m sure the Public Defender will give him a zealous representation.”
The latest development comes roughly one month after a judge ruled that prosecutors had presented enough evidence for the D4vd murder case to proceed toward trial. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, prosecutors called 12 witnesses during a five-day preliminary hearing before Olmedo ordered Burke to stand trial on July 27.
According to the District Attorney’s Office charging announcement, Burke is charged with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The murder charge also includes special circumstance allegations involving financial gain, killing a witness, and lying in wait. Prosecutors have said Burke could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty if convicted as charged, though Hochman’s office has not yet decided whether it will pursue a death sentence. Burke is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Prosecutors allege Celeste traveled to Burke’s Hollywood Hills home on April 23, 2025, and was never seen alive again. According to the District Attorney’s Office, investigators allege Burke subsequently ordered items including chainsaws, a shovel, a body bag, and an inflatable pool. Prosecutors further allege Celeste was stabbed and dismembered, and they say blood recovered from Burke’s garage matched her DNA profile.
Her decomposed and dismembered remains were discovered September 8, 2025, inside the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke after the vehicle had been impounded, according to prosecutors. Burke was arrested by Los Angeles police on April 16, 2026, and has remained jailed without bail.
The preliminary hearing also revealed extensive digital evidence prosecutors intend to use in the D4vd murder case. According to the Associated Press, text messages presented in court indicated Celeste became pregnant at age 13 and had an abortion. In an exchange from January 2024, Burke apologized for “putting her through this.” AP reported that prosecutors also presented messages and photographs they say document an illegal sexual relationship between Burke and Celeste.
According to Reuters, prosecutors contend Burke killed Celeste because he feared disclosure of their relationship would damage his rapidly growing music career. Burke became widely known after his song “Romantic Homicide” gained traction online and eventually signed with Interscope Records. His album “Withered” was released in April 2025, around the period prosecutors allege Celeste was killed.
Burke has denied the charges, and the move to public defense does not alter the prosecution’s burden to prove its allegations in court. With his new attorneys now reviewing the evidence and an October status conference approaching, the next phase of the case will determine how and when one of music’s most closely watched criminal prosecutions reaches trial.
