Key facts
- Singer D4vd (David Anthony Burke) pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, sexual abuse, and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
- His prominent private legal team, including Blair Berk, withdrew from the case.
- A public defender has been appointed to represent Burke, with questions raised about his financial eligibility.
- Prosecutors allege Rivas Hernandez was killed after threatening to expose abuse and end Burke's career.
- The victim's dismembered body was found in Burke's Tesla.
- The District Attorney's office is considering pursuing the death penalty.
Singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, lost his high-profile private lawyers, Blair Berk and her colleagues, at a hearing where he entered a new not guilty plea to charges of murder, sexual abuse, and dismemberment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The reason for the departure of Berk and her team remains unclear, though they stated in a joint message that the judge granted their request to withdraw after determining Burke qualified for a court-appointed lawyer.
Despite earning at least $10 million from his music between 2023 and 2025, Burke has been deemed eligible for a public defender following a financial evaluation. Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel has taken over the defense. Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo denied Burke's initial request to delay the arraignment, demanding a plea and scheduling a status conference for October.
In July, Olmedo had ruled there was sufficient evidence for Burke to stand trial on the charges. District Attorney Nathan Hochman indicated that his office is still deciding whether to pursue the death penalty, a possibility given the charges. Prosecutors allege that Burke stabbed Rivas Hernandez to death in April of the previous year after she threatened to expose sexual abuse and end his career. Evidence presented includes a text message from Rivas Hernandez stating, “i will end ur career and ur life,” sent the night before her death, and the subsequent silencing of her phone when she entered Burke's house. Her dismembered body was discovered in the trunk of Burke's Tesla in September while he was on tour.