The indie-pop musician entered a fresh not-guilty plea as prosecutors continue weighing death-penalty considerations in the killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.
Singer D4vd, legally known as David Anthony Burke, lost his high-profile private defense team at an August 31, 2026 hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court and is now represented by the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office ahead of his murder and sexual-abuse trial. The court permitted attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter to withdraw from the case after determining that Burke qualified for appointed counsel following a financial evaluation. Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel has been identified as one of the new attorneys handling the case.
At the same hearing, Burke entered a new not-guilty plea to charges including murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains, effectively re-arraigning him under his new legal representation. He remains in custody without bail, and no firm trial date has been publicly set.
How the Defense Team Change Unfolded
According to one account, lawyers met with Judge Charlaine Olmedo in chambers before the change was placed on the record, after which Berk informed the court that her client wanted a public defender. Judge Olmedo then asked Burke directly whether this was his wish, and he responded, "Yes," confirming his desire to proceed with appointed counsel.
News organizations have offered slightly different framings of the shift. Some reports describe Burke as having "fired" his celebrity legal team, while others characterize the move as the attorneys' own request to withdraw, granted only after the court determined he qualified for appointed representation due to indigency. Reporters covering the hearing noted it remains unclear exactly why Berk, Bednarski and Peter parted ways with Burke beyond the financial qualification finding.
The departing attorneys declined to answer detailed questions about their exit. In a statement issued after the hearing, they said: "This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel. 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."
Charges and the Looming Death Penalty Question
Burke faces first-degree murder charges in the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, along with continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation or dismemberment of human remains related to the condition of her body when it was discovered. He has consistently pleaded not guilty to all counts throughout the proceedings.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has stated that Burke is legally eligible for the death penalty given the combination of charges against him. District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman has indicated that, if convicted, Burke could face either execution or life in prison without parole, though he emphasized that eligibility does not mean prosecutors have made a final decision to pursue capital punishment. That determination remains pending.
The Public Defender's Office, in taking over the case, acknowledged the gravity of the charges and the loss of life, stating that Burke is entitled to a defense that "takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence," and affirmed its commitment to providing that defense after completing a thorough financial evaluation that found him eligible for its services.
Background on the Allegations Against Burke
Celeste Rivas Hernandez's decomposed and dismembered remains were discovered in September 2025 in the front trunk of what has been described as Burke's apparently abandoned Tesla. Prosecutors allege that Burke and Celeste were engaged in a secret relationship and that she had threatened to expose it and damage his career before she was killed.
A medical examiner concluded that Celeste's death was a homicide caused by two puncture wounds, though defense attorneys challenged how definitive that conclusion could be, questioning the examiner's ability to rule out other causes. Investigators have also pointed to blood believed to belong to Celeste found inside Burke's residence, as well as digital evidence including texts between the two. According to testimony read in court by an LAPD detective, one of Celeste's final texts to Burke warned, "I will end ur career and ur life," sent the night before her alleged killing.
Prior Court Rulings and What Comes Next
On July 27-28, 2026, Judge Charlaine Olmedo ruled that sufficient evidence existed for Burke to stand trial, rejecting defense arguments that the murder charge should be dismissed for lack of evidence showing intent to kill. At that hearing, Bednarski had argued there was "no evidence" of deliberate intent and that communications between Burke and Celeste showed "no threat, no evidence of a history of violence."
A status conference is reportedly scheduled for October 19, 2026, at which both sides are expected to indicate whether they will be ready for trial within 90 days. Celeste's family, represented by attorney Patrick Steinfeld, has welcomed the judge's ruling that the case should proceed to trial and pushed back against defense efforts to challenge the homicide finding.
