David Anthony Burke , known professionally as D4vd, pleaded not guilty Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Los Angeles to charges tied to the alleged abuse, killing, dismemberment, and concealment of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The 21-year-old singer also replaced his high-profile attorneys with a Los Angeles County public defender. Burke’s former lawyers, Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski, withdrew from the case after the court determined Burke qualified for appointed counsel. Bednarski said there was no conflict and that Burke made the decision, while a joint statement said the former defense team continued to support him. What Happens Next in Court? Public defender Walid Kandeel asked for additional time to review the case transcripts, but Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo denied the request because Burke still faced the same three counts filed after his April arrest. Kandeel then entered the not guilty plea, and the judge scheduled the next hearing for Oct. 19; no trial date has been announced. Prosecutors accuse Burke of murder committed while lying in wait, murder for financial gain, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. The charges follow a five-day preliminary hearing that concluded in late July, as well as a Rolling Stone investigation published earlier in August examining alleged concerning behavior connected to the case.