D4vd Returns to Court With Public Defenders as Murder Case Moves to 2027

D4vd returned to a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Monday for a brief status hearing in the murder case involving 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

The singer, born David Anthony Burke, was brought into the courtroom wearing an orange jail-issued jumpsuit and shackles. His hair appeared to have grown since his last court appearance.

Burke, 21, sat with his public defenders Walid Kandeel and Nicole Jones during the proceeding.

The defense and prosecution had already agreed on Jan. 11, 2027, for the singer’s next status conference. As a result, the hearing only lasted a few minutes.

The singer was arrested on April 16, 2026, following a months-long investigation by the LAPD.

He pleaded not guilty on Aug. 31 to first-degree murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains, after a five-day preliminary hearing in July.

His private defense attorneys Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski suddenly withdrew from the case during that appearance, and the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office took over representing the singer.

Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered and decomposed remains were found in the front trunk of a Tesla registered to Burke at a Hollywood tow yard in September 2025.

Prosecutors alleged Burke had been involved in an illegal sexual relationship with the underage teen for some time.

The murder charge against Burke includes special-circumstance allegations of lying in wait, murder for financial gain and killing a witness. Prosecutors allege Burke killed the teenager to protect his music career.

The special-circumstance allegations could make the alt-pop singer eligible for the death penalty if convicted as charged. Although prosecutors have not announced if they plan to seek the death penalty.

In a statement released last month, Rivas Hernandez’s family called for Burke to be put to death. However there is currently a moratorium in California.

“If the death penalty were activated, it would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience, who only caused pain to our daughter, our family, and the world that supports our precious daughter,” the statement read.

The family also questioned why Burke is receiving taxpayer-funded legal representation, saying he is “not indigent.”

“David Anthony Burke is the owner and director of three LLC’s, including entertainment, merchandising and publishing companies,” the family’s attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, said in a separate statement.

He continued, “As owner, he controls the distribution of funds for these companies, so he should ‘direct’ one of his LCC’s to distribute funds to him rather than claiming he’s broke and forcing taxpayers to reach into their pockets to pay for his defense.”

The Public Defender’s Office previously said it evaluated Burke’s finances and determined he qualified for representation.

During his preliminary hearing in July, Burke’s former financial manager, Benjamin Greger, testified that the singer earned roughly $10 million to $11.5 million in gross income from recording, merchandise and music publishing between 2023 and 2025.