Singer D4vd loses prominent lawyers defending him in killing of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez

Los Angeles (AP) — Singer D4vd lost his high-profile private lawyers Monday when a judge granted their request to withdraw after determining he qualified for a court-appointed defense attorney. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, entered a new not guilty plea to charges of killing, sexually abusing, and dismembering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

The defense attorneys, Blair Berk and her colleagues Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter, were replaced by Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel. Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo denied a request to delay the arraignment and scheduled a status conference for October. Burke, who earned at least $10 million between 2023 and 2025, allegedly stabbed Rivas Hernandez to death after she threatened to expose sexual abuse that began when she was 13, just days before his debut album dropped. Her decomposing body was found in the trunk of his car in September.