Singer David Burke, known professionally as D4vd, has replaced his private legal defense team with a public defender, citing financial reasons, as he faces charges in the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Burke appeared in court on Monday in an orange jumpsuit and with unshackled hands.
Burke's attorneys, Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski, informed the judge of their client's wish to seek representation from the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. The judge granted their withdrawal request and appointed the public defender after determining Burke qualified for appointed counsel. Burke's former legal team then turned over the case files. Despite a request for a delay, the judge entered a not guilty plea on all charges on Burke's behalf, setting a status conference for October 19.
The decision to change legal representation comes as Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman is expected to decide whether Burke will face the death penalty if convicted. During a preliminary hearing held over a month prior, graphic details emerged, including photos of Rivas' dismembered body, autopsy findings, and text messages suggesting Burke was aware of Rivas' pregnancy when she was 13.
Rivas' parents, Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez, were present during the preliminary hearing where images of their daughter's body were shown. According to testimony from Deputy Medical Examiner Grant Ho, Rivas' body weighed 71 pounds and showed signs of decomposition and trauma, particularly to the extremities. Ho detailed two wounds on Rivas' body, one on the abdomen consistent with sharp force injury and another on the chest that could potentially be a gunshot wound. The autopsy also found Rivas' braces.
Text messages presented as evidence in the hearing indicated that Rivas was 13 years old when she had an abortion with Burke in January 2024. Burke, who was 18 at the time, allegedly questioned if he was the father. Rivas, who was missing since 2024, was 15 when her remains were discovered on September 8, 2025, in an abandoned Tesla registered to Burke at a Los Angeles tow yard. Prosecutors allege Burke stabbed Rivas to death, dismembered her body, and placed it in bags before loading them into his car. Burke's upcoming trial is anticipated to be lengthy, with DA Nathan Hochman indicating that new evidence will be presented.