DETROIT – We now know much more about the timeline of events that led up to and followed the murder of a popular neurosurgeon whose body was found wrapped in a carpet in the attic of his Detroit home.
Officials provided a major update Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, announcing that they’ve issued charges more than 15 months after Dr. Devon Hoover was found dead.
📄 FULL DETAILS: Everything we know about doctor’s mysterious murder
Desmond Burks, 34, of Detroit, was apparently involved in an intimate relationship with Hoover, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy revealed. Now, Burks is charged with the doctor’s murder.
Here are the details we learned this week.
🗓️ April 22, 2023: Abandoned SUV
This case began when officers were called to the 9900 block of Coyle Street on Detroit’s west side for a parking complaint.
Police found a white Range Rover blocking a driveway, and there appeared to be blood on the inside.
Officials identified Hoover as the registered owner of the Range Rover, so they went to his home on West Boston Boulevard in the Boston-Edison District. That’s about five miles away from where the SUV was found.
That evening, officers found the driveway gate wide open, but nobody answered when they knocked at the front and back doors of Hoover’s home.
🗓️ April 23, 2023: Hoover’s body found
Officers returned to Hoover’s house the next day, after receiving a call from a concerned family member in Indiana. That person asked for a welfare check because Hoover had failed to show up to see his sick mother.
There was blood on the side of the back door, so police decided to force their way inside. As they searched the home, police discovered Hoover’s body in a third-floor attic crawl space.
Worthy said Hoover was face-down and wrapped in a blood-soaked carpet. He was only wearing socks.
An autopsy confirmed that Hoover died from two gunshots to the head.
🗓️ April 28, 2023: Person of interest questioned
A few days after the murder, police questioned a person of interest who they believed had information about the case.
They didn’t release the identity of that person at the time, but Worthy confirmed Wednesday that it was Burks.
🗓️ April 29, 2023: Break-in
Someone broke into Hoover’s home overnight from April 29 into April 30, which was a week after the murder.
Officials didn’t reveal whether anything was stolen during the break-in, and we still haven’t received much information.
🗓️ April 30, 2023: Hoover’s funeral
Hoover’s funeral was held at 1 p.m. April 30, 2023, just hours after someone broke into his home.
🗓️ May 2, 2023: Person of interest released
Burks was released from custody after a few days of questioning by the police.
Again, they did not reveal his identity, but he remained a focus of the investigation.
🗓️ April 17, 2024: Road rage attack
Nearly a year after Hoover’s death, Burks was involved in a road rage attack at the intersection of West Chicago Street and Greenfield Road in Detroit.
Reda Saleh, 67, of Dearborn, bumped into the back of Burks’ car at the intersection, causing both men to get out, police said.
They got into an argument, and Burks is accused of punching Saleh and leaving him in the street.
Saleh was found unresponsive with a serious head injury. Officials rushed him to a nearby hospital.
🗓️ May 11, 2024: Injured driver dies
Saleh died from his injuries nearly a month after the attack.
🗓️ May 15, 2024: Burks charged in road rage case
Burks was taken into custody four days after Saleh’s death and charged with second-degree murder.
A judge issued a $1 million bond, and Burks has been at the Wayne County Jail ever since.
🗓️ May 24, 2024: Competency exam request
During a court hearing for the road rage case, Burks’ lawyer requested a competency examination for his client.
🗓️ Aug. 7, 2024: Burks charged in Hoover case
Worthy and Detroit police Chief James White held a briefing to announce charges in the Hoover murder case.
Burks is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, larceny over $20,000, using a computer to commit a crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
He’s also charged with three second-offense felony firearm violations. Those violations are attached to the two murder charges and the firearm possession charge.
🗓️ Aug. 8, 2024: Arraignment
Burks was arraigned at 36th District Court on charges in the Hoover murder case.
He was remanded to the Wayne County Jail.
🗓️ Aug. 15, 2024: Probable cause conference
A probable cause conference for the Hoover murder case is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 15, 2024.
🗓️ Sept. 3, 2024: Competency hearing
The competency hearing requested by Burks’ lawyer during proceedings for the road rage case is scheduled for Sept. 3, 2024.
