D4vd's murder case took an unexpected turn Monday when the singer replaced the high-powered private attorneys who had represented him since his arrest with the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, raising a new question about the finances of an artist who was earning millions just before his career collapsed.
The change came as David Anthony Burke, the 21-year-old musician known professionally as D4vd, appeared in Los Angeles County Superior Court and again pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernández.
His attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter confirmed that the court granted their request to withdraw after determining Burke qualified for appointed counsel.
"This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appoint the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel," the attorneys said in a statement reported by Complex.
The lawyers said they continue to support Burke and his defense and praised the Public Defender's Office for taking over the case. Neither they nor Burke publicly explained what prompted the change.
That unanswered question is particularly notable because Burke's finances became a significant part of the prosecution's case just weeks ago.
During July's preliminary hearing, Burke's financial manager, Benjamin Greger, testified that the singer generated approximately $10 million to $11 million in gross earnings between 2023 and 2025, according to Reuters.
Burke's success had come extraordinarily quickly. After breaking through online with songs including "Romantic Homicide," he signed with Interscope Records and developed into one of music's fastest-rising young performers.
Testimony during the preliminary hearing indicated his record deal potentially could have been worth as much as $19 million if future album options were exercised and performance targets were met. Interscope ultimately ended the relationship in late 2025, according to testimony reported by CNN.
The financial history carries unusual significance because prosecutors have made Burke's lucrative career central to their theory of the alleged crime.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office alleges Burke killed Rivas Hernández in April 2025 because he feared disclosure of their relationship would destroy his burgeoning music career. Prosecutors have charged him with special circumstances including murder for financial gain and killing a witness to a crime. Burke has denied the charges.
A judge ruled July 27 that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence for Burke to stand trial on charges including murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
The prosecution presented testimony from 12 witnesses during the preliminary hearing, along with extensive digital evidence and hundreds of messages between Burke and Rivas Hernández.
But the hearing also revealed potential challenges prosecutors could face at trial. Investigators have not recovered the tools they allege Burke used to dismember the teenager, and no witness has testified to seeing the killing, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Those issues were explored by the private defense team Burke has now replaced.
The timing therefore makes Monday's change more consequential than an ordinary switch of attorneys. Berk and Bednarski had already cross-examined prosecution witnesses and tested weaknesses in the state's evidence during a five-day preliminary hearing. A new team will now inherit that record as the case moves toward trial.
The Los Angeles Times noted that it was not immediately clear how Burke qualified for the Public Defender's Office given the financial success documented during the case. Qualification for appointed counsel, however, reflects a defendant's present ability to afford adequate legal representation, not simply how much money the person earned previously.
There is no verified public accounting showing how much of Burke's earlier earnings he currently controls, how much was consumed by career expenses, taxes or legal costs, or what other financial obligations he may have. Claims that the attorney change proves Burke has "run out of money" therefore remain speculation.
The transformation of his career is less uncertain. Interscope ended its relationship with Burke in late 2025, and he has been held without bail since his April arrest.
Burke's new public defender, Walid Kandeel, requested additional time during Monday's proceedings, according to People. Judge Charlaine Olmedo set a status hearing for Oct. 19.
The legal change leaves Burke entering the most consequential stage of the case with a dramatically different defense team and a financial picture that looks very different from the multimillion-dollar career prosecutors described in the same courtroom only weeks ago.
