Indie-Pop Artist D4vd Replaces High-Profile Legal Team with Public Defender Ahead of Murder Trial
LOS ANGELES – In a significant shift for a high-profile criminal case, indie-pop sensation D4vd—legal name David Anthony Burke—parted ways with his private defense team on Monday as he entered a new not guilty plea to charges including the murder and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
The singer, who rose to prominence through viral hits like “Romantic Homicide,” saw his high-powered defense attorneys—Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski, and Regina Peter—withdraw from the case during a court hearing. They were immediately replaced by Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel.
A Controversial Switch
The departure of Berk, a renowned attorney known for representing A-list celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Harvey Weinstein, has raised questions regarding Burke’s financial status. Testimony provided at a previous hearing indicated that the musician earned at least $10 million between 2023 and 2025.
Despite these earnings, the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office stated that it had conducted a “thorough financial evaluation” and deemed Burke eligible for state-appointed counsel. The outgoing legal team issued a brief statement confirming that the judge granted their withdrawal request after verifying Burke’s eligibility, though they declined to comment further on the circumstances behind the split.
New defense counsel Walid Kandeel addressed the court, stating, “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.”
The Allegations
The case, which shocked the music industry, centers on the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez in April of last year. Prosecutors allege that Burke killed the teenager shortly after she threatened to expose a sexual relationship that began when she was 13.
Evidence presented by the prosecution suggests that after Rivas Hernandez texted Burke, “i will end ur career and ur life,” the artist arranged for an Uber to bring her to his residence, where he allegedly stabbed her to death. Her remains were discovered months later, in September, inside the trunk of Burke’s Tesla while the artist was on tour.
Following a five-day evidentiary hearing in July, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo ruled that there was sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial. Burke faces charges of murder, continuous lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and the unlawful mutilation of human remains.
Trial Status and Potential Penalty
While Burke is eligible for the death penalty, District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not yet announced a final decision on whether the state will pursue it. Hochman emphasized that the change in defense counsel would not alter the prosecution’s approach, noting that his office remains prepared to prove all charges “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
The court has scheduled a status conference for October, though a formal trial date has yet to be set.
D4vd, who enjoyed a massive breakout moment in 2022 and performed at Coachella as recently as 2024, now finds himself at the center of a grim legal battle. The murder trial continues to draw public attention as the legal proceedings move forward under a new defense strategy.
