D4vd family sells $229,000 Texas home as streamer faces major shake-up in Celeste Rivas murder case after legal team walks away

D4vd’s legal troubles have taken another unexpected turn after property records reportedly showed his family sold a Texas home for $229,000. The move comes as the singer faces a major change in his defense team in the case involving the alleged murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas. D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, has now been assigned a public defender after his previous attorneys withdrew over concerns about his ability to pay.D4vd family property sale draws attention amid legal battleThe reported sale has raised questions because of its timing. Property records cited in reports show that D4vd’s father, David Burke, sold a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Houston for $229,000 in early July.The 1,819-square-foot property was reportedly sold only months after Burke secured a $138,000 loan using another Texas property as collateral. The second home is described as a three-bedroom, one-bathroom residence measuring about 1,260 square feet.The transactions have drawn greater attention because of the wider financial questions surrounding D4vd’s defense. Reports have previously suggested that the singer earned close to $2.8 million in the months following Celeste Rivas’ death.However, the property activity alone does not establish why the home was sold or how the proceeds were used. Those details remain important as the court considers D4vd’s financial circumstances.The singer’s father is also reported to live in a much larger property in Hempstead, Texas, estimated to be worth around $850,000.D4vd gets public defender after attorneys withdrawThe financial questions intensified after Blair Berk and other members of D4vd’s legal team withdrew from the case. Burke reportedly told the court he could no longer afford his existing representation and qualified for publicly funded counsel.Celeste’s family has challenged that assessment. Their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, questioned how Burke could qualify as indigent while pointing to his reported commercial success, streaming figures and business interests.Steinfeld said:"It is unfathomable that our justice system qualifies David Anthony Burke as indigent when D4VD has 5+ billion streams with 16 million monthly listeners on a single streaming platform, and controls three corporations."He also named D4vd Entertainment, Skullrose Merchandising and Headspace Publishing as companies he says are connected to Burke.Steinfeld added:"David Anthony Burke is not indigent. His assets are protected by his companies. Perhaps he would have money if he just asked one of his corporations,"The attorney has also alleged that assets were moved to Burke’s mother and manager, Colleen Burke. He described the alleged transfers as a "blatant attempt to protect his estate from any civil suit." Those claims have not been established as facts by a court.Through their attorney, Celeste’s family said their priority remains accountability for whoever is responsible."We as a family only want justice for Celeste and for whoever is responsible to face the full force of the law. And we thank everyone for supporting our daughter in every way."D4vd faces charges including murder, continuous sexual assault of a minor under 14, and unlawful mutilation of human remains. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 19, when he is expected to proceed with his newly appointed public defender.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.