The celebrity lawyers hired to represent US musician D4vd in his upcoming murder trial have withdrawn from the case.

The star, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, has been appointed a public defender to mount his defence against the charge of murdering Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, whose remains were found in September 2025 in a Tesla registered to his address.

Burke, 21, pleaded not guilty to the murder charges in a Los Angeles court on Monday.

A judge determined last month that he will stand trial for murder. Prosecutors have alleged he stabbed the teen after years of sexual abuse before dismembering her body.

A pre-trial hearing is set for 19 October.

Lawyers Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter said in a statement to the BBC that the court had granted their request to withdraw from the case and had appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office to represent the singer.

The statement said that D4vd “qualified for appointed counsel”.

“We continue to support David and his defence against these serious charges,” they said.

“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.”

Berk, who led the defence team, has previously represented US actor Mel Gibson and film mogul Harvey Weinstein, as well as singer Britney Spears and actress Lindsay Lohan.

Deputy public defender Walid Kandeel said in a statement that Burke was “entitled to a defence that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence”.

“We are committed to providing him with that defence,” he said.