The family of David Burke has been raising funds in recent months as the singer struggles to afford his legal defense. The 21-year-old performer, known as D4vd, is facing trial for the sexual assault and murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas.
His high-powered legal team quit his defense on Monday, leaving a public defender to represent him.
Dawud Burke, the father of the embattled singer, sold a house in Texas earlier this summer for more than $200,000. Real estate records obtained by TMZ show that he sold a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with 1,819 square feet in Houston for $229,000 in early July.
The publication reported that Dawud Burke also took out a loan for $138,000 in April of this year. The loan was placed on a three-bedroom, one-bathroom home with 1,260 square feet.
Change in legal representation
Dawud Burke currently resides in a 4,426-square-foot home located in Hempstead, Texas. The property features four bedrooms and three bathrooms, and it has an estimated value of around $850,000.
The financial moves came shortly before David Burke appeared to experience financial troubles. He had previously been pictured in Paris in March and June 2025, in Palm Springs, California, in April 2025, and in Japan in May 2025. He was also photographed in court in Los Angeles in April, and his mugshot was released by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter told the judge overseeing the trial on Monday that they could no longer represent the singer. They announced in court that they would no longer represent him at his request.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Berk stated in court that David Burke had asked the public defender's office to replace his counsel. The attorneys did not share a reason for why their client was no longer requesting their services.
"This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel," the trio said in a statement to TMZ.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo quickly agreed to the change in representation.
"We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges," the lawyers continued. "We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office has taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him."
The public defender taking over the case reportedly stated the singer is now indigent, raising questions about his finances. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office confirmed that a look at his finances indicated he was eligible for their representation.
They declined to share his specific financial information. It remains unclear how the performer is unable to pay for his defense team, as it was previously shown in court that he had earned millions from a lucrative recording contract prior to going on trial.
Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel released a statement regarding the case.
"We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our sympathies to those who are grieving," Kandeel said. "At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence. We are committed to providing him with that defense."
Murder and mutilation charges
At the same hearing on Monday, David Burke pleaded not guilty to the murder of Rivas. He also pleaded not guilty to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death.
Prosecutors alleged in a news release in late July that the musical artist murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025. They stated he killed her "because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career."
Prosecutors previously revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death. Sources close to the Los Angeles County District Attorney stated in late July that prosecutors "don't believe she was pregnant at the time she was killed," adding that her body had been in "a state of decomposition."
The revelation came after an April 2026 addendum to the death certificate. The updated document stated it was "unknown" whether Rivas had been expecting a child in the year before she was killed. The certificate had previously said "no" prior to the adjustment.
David Burke is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas before using a chainsaw to dismember her remains. Prosecutors said this occurred in an inflatable pool inside the garage of a Hollywood Hills home where he had been living.
The remains of Rivas were found in a Tesla that had been registered to David Burke on September 8, 2025. Prosecutors added that "small, blue plastic fragments" from the inflatable pool were found embedded in the victim's remains.
Questions surrounding pregnancy
David Burke was ordered to stand trial for the murder following a preliminary hearing. During the hearing, prosecutors presented text messages that alluded to Rivas being pregnant and getting an abortion a year prior to her killing.
Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Farell testified that records from the phone of David Burke alluded to a 2023 pregnancy and a January 2024 abortion. He noted that Rivas told the singer, "Of course it's yours David."
Farell told the court that David Burke subsequently inquired with Rivas about her medical appointment. The singer commented that he felt as if he had been "waiting for test results."
The detective testified that the phone also contained images of child sexual abuse material involving Rivas. Prosecutors did not present these images during the hearing due to their graphic nature.
Graphic evidence and family reaction
Mercedes Martinez, the mother of Rivas, wept as she walked out of the courtroom alongside the slain teenager's father, Jesus Rivas. This occurred during the testimony from Farell.
"This is too much, I know how hard this is," Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said.
Testimony from Farell indicated that the parents of Rivas had signed a consent form on September 23, 2024. The form granted permission for Rivas to go to London with David Burke from September 24 to October 5, 2024.
David Burke had bought plane tickets via United Airlines for a trip to London, followed by a trip to Texas, where members of his family reside. Farell stated that the family of Rivas knew about her link to the musician. He added that they had traveled to Las Vegas and Houston in 2024.
Patrick Steinfeld, an attorney for the family of Rivas Hernandez, spoke after the hearing.
"We are horrified that the defense attorneys brought up evidence to put the blame on a 14-year-old girl," Steinfeld said.
Potential death penalty
Judge Olmedo stated that enough evidence had been presented to proceed to trial. The judge ordered that David Burke remain in custody with no bail, with an arraignment slated for August 31.
Prosecutors argued that the evidence to proceed to a trial was overwhelming.
"Based on the mountains of evidence presented, all of the allegations have been proved way beyond the standard required," Silverman said.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside the court that prosecutors presented only a "small fraction" of the evidence they have.
They are still weighing whether to seek the death penalty. David Burke is eligible for the sentence after Judge Olmedo found probable cause for special circumstances. These include lying in wait, killing for financial gain and killing a potential witness.
If found guilty, these circumstances would allow prosecutors to pursue the death penalty.
The Daily Mail previously reached out to the representatives for David Burke, the Los Angeles County Public Defender's office, and an attorney for Dawud and Colleen Burke to request comment. They also reached out to the singer's former attorneys but did not receive a response.
