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D4vds Legal Team Withdraws; Public Defender Takes Over Murder Case Amid Death Penalty Considerations
When the music industry’s breakout pop star finds himself in a courtroom, the spotlight shifts from stage lights to legal drama.
David Anthony Burke—stage name D4vd—has been charged with first‑degree murder in the death of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The singer, who earned an estimated $11 million from a record deal with Interscope Records, pleaded not guilty on April 20, 2026. On Monday, his private attorneys—Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter—told the judge that they could no longer represent him. The court accepted their withdrawal and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office to take over the case.
Replacing a high‑profile legal team with a public defender has raised questions about Burke’s financial capacity. Interscope, a division of Universal Music Group, signed Burke in 2025, and the contract reportedly brought him $11 million. The attorneys offered no explanation for their exit, suggesting that the singer may no longer afford the fees that a private defense demands.
Burke’s ascent began in 2021 when he started composing music for Fortnite gameplay montages. He achieved commercial success in 2022 with the singles “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me,” both of which earned multiple platinum certifications. In 2023 he released two EPs—Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals—and in 2025 his debut studio album, Withered, peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Following his arrest, his ongoing tour and a planned deluxe reissue of Withered were cancelled.
The murder case centers on the discovery of Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered body inside a Tesla registered to Burke. Forensic evidence presented at a preliminary hearing included bloodstains and autopsy reports. Text messages between Burke and the victim’s mother indicated that the teenager was pregnant at age 13 and that an abortion was discussed—and allegedly carried out. The evidence also shows that Burke allegedly dismembered the body, stored the pieces in bags, and placed them in the vehicle’s front trunk.
The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office—America’s largest public defender agency—has now taken responsibility for Burke’s defense. The office provides legal assistance to individuals who cannot afford private counsel and will prepare a mitigation packet for the district attorney.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not yet decided whether the state will seek the death penalty. Hochman said he will personally make the decision and is awaiting a mitigation packet from Burke’s legal team. The DA has indicated that he will allow the new public defender time to submit a packet if they choose to do so.
No trial date has been set. The court has not announced a schedule, and the proceedings remain in the preliminary phase. The case is ongoing, with the public defender’s office now handling all legal matters.
In short, D4vd’s private attorneys withdrew on Monday, and the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has assumed the defense. The singer’s record deal with Interscope reportedly earned him $11 million, yet the withdrawal suggests a lack of funds to retain private counsel. The case involves the murder of a 14‑year‑old, dismemberment of the body, and a possible pregnancy at age 13. The district attorney is still deciding on the death penalty and awaiting a mitigation packet. No trial date has been announced, and the proceedings continue under the new public defender.
David Anthony Burke—stage name D4vd—has been charged with first‑degree murder in the death of 14‑year‑old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The singer, who earned an estimated $11 million from a record deal with Interscope Records, pleaded not guilty on April 20, 2026. On Monday, his private attorneys—Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter—told the judge that they could no longer represent him. The court accepted their withdrawal and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office to take over the case.
Replacing a high‑profile legal team with a public defender has raised questions about Burke’s financial capacity. Interscope, a division of Universal Music Group, signed Burke in 2025, and the contract reportedly brought him $11 million. The attorneys offered no explanation for their exit, suggesting that the singer may no longer afford the fees that a private defense demands.
Burke’s ascent began in 2021 when he started composing music for Fortnite gameplay montages. He achieved commercial success in 2022 with the singles “Romantic Homicide” and “Here with Me,” both of which earned multiple platinum certifications. In 2023 he released two EPs—Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals—and in 2025 his debut studio album, Withered, peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Following his arrest, his ongoing tour and a planned deluxe reissue of Withered were cancelled.
The murder case centers on the discovery of Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered body inside a Tesla registered to Burke. Forensic evidence presented at a preliminary hearing included bloodstains and autopsy reports. Text messages between Burke and the victim’s mother indicated that the teenager was pregnant at age 13 and that an abortion was discussed—and allegedly carried out. The evidence also shows that Burke allegedly dismembered the body, stored the pieces in bags, and placed them in the vehicle’s front trunk.
The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office—America’s largest public defender agency—has now taken responsibility for Burke’s defense. The office provides legal assistance to individuals who cannot afford private counsel and will prepare a mitigation packet for the district attorney.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman has not yet decided whether the state will seek the death penalty. Hochman said he will personally make the decision and is awaiting a mitigation packet from Burke’s legal team. The DA has indicated that he will allow the new public defender time to submit a packet if they choose to do so.
No trial date has been set. The court has not announced a schedule, and the proceedings remain in the preliminary phase. The case is ongoing, with the public defender’s office now handling all legal matters.
In short, D4vd’s private attorneys withdrew on Monday, and the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has assumed the defense. The singer’s record deal with Interscope reportedly earned him $11 million, yet the withdrawal suggests a lack of funds to retain private counsel. The case involves the murder of a 14‑year‑old, dismemberment of the body, and a possible pregnancy at age 13. The district attorney is still deciding on the death penalty and awaiting a mitigation packet. No trial date has been announced, and the proceedings continue under the new public defender.
