The celebrity legal team representing the American musician D4vd has withdrawn from his upcoming murder trial, leading to the appointment of a public defender. David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old singer who performs under the stage name D4vd, is accused of murdering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose remains were discovered in September 2025 inside a Tesla registered to his address.
Burke appeared in a Los Angeles court on Monday to have the charges against him formally read, where he re-entered a plea of not guilty.
Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter confirmed in a statement that the court had approved their request to step down from the case. The statement noted that Burke "qualified for appointed counsel" and that the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office has been assigned to represent him. "We continue to support David and his defence against these serious charges," the lawyers said.
"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." Berk is well-known for her high-profile defense work, having previously represented figures such as Mel Gibson, Harvey Weinstein, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan.
Following the appointment, deputy public defender Walid Kandeel stated that Burke is "entitled to a defence that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence," adding, "We are committed to providing him with that defence." Meanwhile, Los Angeles County's top prosecutor, Nathan Hochman, spoke outside the courtroom on Monday, asserting that his office is "ready to proceed" with the prosecution.
However, Hochman acknowledged that the transition to new legal counsel could delay the trial, require additional time to evaluate the evidence, or prompt a defense motion to dismiss. He noted that his team is prepared for "zealous representation" from the public defender's office.
Burke faces charges of first-degree murder, mutilation of human remains, and child sexual abuse. Last month, a judge ruled that he must stand trial, with a pre-trial hearing now scheduled for 19 October. The murder charges carry special circumstances related to financial gain, which could make Burke eligible for the death sentence if convicted.
Prosecutors allege that Burke stabbed the teenager after years of sexual abuse and subsequently dismembered her body.
The prosecution's case centers on allegations that Burke killed Hernandez because she threatened to expose his relationship with a minor, which would destroy his lucrative music career. Evidence presented during a preliminary hearing included expletive-laden text messages sent by Hernandez on 22 April 2025, following disputes over Burke's friendship with another girl.
"I swear to GOD I will kill u," one message read, with Hernandez threatening to strangle him and tell lies to her father.
"i will end ur career and ur life I will damage anything," she wrote. According to prosecutors, Hernandez traveled to Burke's Hollywood home the following day in an Uber that he had ordered for her, and Burke stabbed her shortly after she arrived.
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