【ANN NEWS, LOS ANGELES】 The high-profile case involving 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, whose body was found in a Tesla, took an unexpected turn on Monday.
When 21-year-old singer D4vd (real name David Anthony Burke) appeared again in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom on August 31, the high-profile private legal team that had been representing him abruptly withdrew from the case. The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office then formally took over his defense ahead of the upcoming murder trial.
D4vd again pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and unlawful dismemberment of human remains. More notably, the singer, who quickly rose to fame with hit songs and whose financial manager testified at an earlier hearing that he earned at least $10 million from his music career over several years, has now been found eligible for representation by a public defender.
Celebrity Legal Team Abruptly Withdraws
D4vd’s previous defense team included prominent Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter. Berk has long represented high-profile clients and is well known in the entertainment industry and major criminal cases. During Monday’s hearing, however, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo approved the withdrawal of the private defense team.
The attorneys did not publicly disclose the specific reason for their withdrawal, saying only that the court granted their request after determining that Burke qualified for court-appointed counsel. The former defense team also said they continued to support D4vd in defending himself against the serious charges.
Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel took over the case. After taking over, Kandeel immediately asked the judge to postpone that day’s arraignment to give the new defense team time to review the record from the previous five-day preliminary hearing.
The judge denied the request and required D4vd to enter a plea that day. D4vd then again pleaded not guilty.
He Earned at Least $10 Million — Why Does He Now Need a Public Defender?
The sudden change in attorneys has also drawn attention to D4vd’s financial situation. According to testimony from his financial manager at an earlier hearing, D4vd earned at least $10 million through his music career between 2023 and 2025. That has made his current eligibility for a public defender particularly notable.
The public defender system primarily provides legal representation to criminal defendants who cannot afford private attorneys.
The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office said D4vd underwent a full financial eligibility assessment and was determined to qualify for public defense, but it did not disclose further details about his finances. Therefore, there is currently no official evidence that D4vd is “bankrupt” or “out of money,” and the specific reason his private legal team withdrew has not been made public.
14-Year-Old Girl’s Body Found in Tesla Frunk
The case began in September 2025. Fourteen-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez had been missing for several months. On September 8, workers inspecting a Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard after the vehicle had previously been towed for being abandoned discovered two bags containing human remains inside the vehicle’s front trunk. Police later confirmed that the decomposed and dismembered remains belonged to Celeste. The Tesla was registered to D4vd.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Celeste went to D4vd’s Hollywood Hills residence on April 23, 2025, and was never seen again. Prosecutors allege that D4vd had previously been involved in an unlawful sexual relationship with Celeste and say the relationship began when Celeste was just 13 years old. Prosecutors further allege that D4vd killed her after Celeste threatened to make their relationship public, potentially jeopardizing his rising music career.
All of the above remain allegations by prosecutors and have not yet been established by a jury at trial.
Judge Has Ordered the Case to Proceed to Trial
In July, Los Angeles County Superior Court held a five-day preliminary hearing. Prosecutors called 12 witnesses and presented extensive evidence, including electronic communications, DNA and other forensic evidence. At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge found that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence to order D4vd to stand trial.
D4vd currently faces one count of murder, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and one count of unlawful dismemberment of human remains. The murder charge also includes multiple special-circumstance allegations, including murder by lying in wait, murder for financial gain and killing a witness.
If ultimately convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole, and prosecutors also retain the option of seeking the death penalty.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said after Monday’s hearing that the change in defense attorneys would not alter the prosecution’s strategy in the case. Hochman said the District Attorney’s Office has not yet made a final decision on whether to seek the death penalty. Because D4vd has changed legal teams, prosecutors will give his new attorneys additional time to submit mitigating information regarding whether the death penalty should be sought.
D4vd’s next court appearance is scheduled for October 19, and a trial date has not yet been set. D4vd has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Under the law, he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
