D4vd Pleads Not Guilty, Switches to Public Defender in Murder Case

Singer D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday, August 31, 2026, where his high-profile private legal team withdrew and was replaced by a public defender. The 21-year-old artist pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains in the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. During the hearing, which was a post-preliminary hearing arraignment, defense attorney Blair Berk informed Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo that Burke wished to be represented by the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Office.