by
Dr. Devon Hoover
An investigation by federal agents and police into the murder of Detroit neurosurgeon, Dr. Devon Hoover, took more than a year and spanned five states and three countries. It resulted in Wednesday's announcement of charges against Desmond Burks, 34, of Detroit, who had sexual relations with the doctor, who sometimes paid for the services.
Burks faces charges of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, larceny and gun violations. He was arraigned Thursday and remanded to jail.
Authorities allege that he killed the doctor and stole more than $95,000 in cash and property, including expensive Cartier watches.
The theft, authorities alleged, included more than $30,000 in CashApp and bank fraud.
"The loss of Dr. Hoover remains a tragedy that has left a void in our community," Detroit Police Chief James White said in a statement.
It all began on April 22, 2023, when Detroit Police responded to a call of a white Land Rover blocking a driveway on Coyle Street, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. Officers noticed blood in the interior, tagged it as evidence and took it to the department's tow yard.
They then learned the car was registered to Dr. Hoover at 150 W. Boston Blvd. in Detroit's Boston-Edison neighborhood. Police went to the home and noticed the driveway gate leading to the rear of the house was wide open. They knocked on the front and back doors, but no one answered, so they left.
The next day, police received a 911 call from Dr. Hoover's family requesting a wellbeing check at his home after he failed to show up to visit his mother in Indiana, authorities said.
Detroit police officers went to his house and found what appeared to be blood on the exterior door in the back. They made a forced entry into the home and found Dr. Hoover's body in the third-floor attic crawl space, facedown, wearing only socks, wrapped in a blood-soaked carpet.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office determined he was shot twice in the head.
The Detroit Police Crime Scene Services Unit processed the crime scene and discovered that the doctor's cell phone, wallet, money, credit cards and designer watches were missing.
Investigator learned that almost immediately after Dr. Hoover’s murder, multiple fraudulent financial transactions were made from his various financial accounts, and continued for several days.
Investigators found that doctor's cell phone records showed he had approximately 4,000 communications with a number linked to the suspect, Desmond Burks, who lived in the 9900 block of Sussex in Detroit.
The text messages showed that Burks and Dr. Hoover were in an intimate relationship, and on occasion Burks charged the doctor for sexual services.
Authorities said the investigation was complicated by the fact many witnesses were reluctant to come forward to share sensitive and personal information about the doctor.
Phone Records
Investigators also determined that the day the doctor was murdered, his phone traveled from his W. Boston Blvd. address to the area of Burks' home on Sussex.
Subsequently, the doctor's phone appeared to return to W. Boston Blvd. for a short period before going back to the area where Burks lives. It then traveled to Fairlane Mall in Dearborn, but never returned to the doctor's Boston Blvd. home.
Investigators corroborated evidence of the cell phone's movement including cellular call detail records, search engine account record; Desmond Burks’ cellular call detail records, Range Rover geolocation data, Project Greenlight video, 9900 block of Coyle Street surveillance video and jewelry store surveillance video.
Additionally, on the day of the homicide, Burks was seen on surveillance camera parking Hoover’s Range Rover near the 9900 block of Coyle Street. He was seen limping away, carrying a backpack. The limp was from previously being shot. His fingerprint was also discovered inside the Range Rover.
Police investigators found the doctor's “Ballon Bleu” Cartier watch worth $6,625 in Burks' home. A subsequent search of the home lead to the discovery of the doctor's “Pasha” Cartier watch, which the doctor purchased for $7,323.54 one day before he was murdered.
The investigation spanned five states, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, and California and three countries, the U.S., England, and France and involved dozens of law enforcement officers.
