D4vd’s lawyers withdraw from murder case, court appoints public defender
Lawyers hired by American singer D4vd have withdrawn from his criminal case concerning the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The court appointed the 21-year-old musician a lawyer from the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, BBC News World reports.
The performer’s real name is David Anthony Burke. On Monday, he again pleaded not guilty in a Los Angeles court. He faces charges of first-degree murder, desecration of human remains, and sexual assault of a child.
Change of defense
Burke’s former lawyers — Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter — told the BBC that the court granted their motion to withdraw from the case. According to them, D4vd met the criteria for the appointment of a state-funded attorney.
The lawyers said they continue to support Burke in his defense against the serious charges. Deputy public defender Walid Kandil said that Burke has the right to a defense that takes his circumstances into account and carefully examines the evidence.
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Charges in the case
Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s remains were found in September 2025 in a Tesla registered to Burke’s address. Last month, a judge ruled that the musician would stand trial in the murder case. The next pretrial hearing is scheduled for October 19.
Prosecutors allege that Burke stabbed the teenager after several years of sexual abuse and later dismembered her body. According to the prosecution, he may have killed the girl because of her threats to expose his relationship with a minor and ruin his music career.
During a preliminary hearing, evidence was read out that on April 22, 2025, Hernandez sent Burke threats amid a dispute over his friendship with another girl. The following day, she arrived at his Hollywood home in an Uber that, according to prosecutors, he ordered for her. The charges also include a special circumstance related to financial gain, which could potentially carry the death penalty.
