D4vd pleads not guilty to murder as legal team steps aside for public defender

D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke, faces a first-degree murder charge along with counts of sexual abuse of a minor and mutilation related to the 2025 discovery of Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s dismembered body in the trunk of Burke’s car. After his private defense team quit, a court-appointed Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office took over representation, and Burke pleaded not guilty at a recent hearing. The transition to public counsel followed scrutiny of Burke’s finances, with reports indicating his family sold property and took out a loan, suggesting indigence. A status conference is scheduled for October 19, with the judge denying a request to delay the arraignment, and prosecutors signaling that Burke could face the death penalty if convicted. Attorneys for Burke’s former team stated they remain supportive of his defense, while noting the Public Defender’s Office would provide zealous representation in this high-profile case.