DETROIT — The man who admitted to killing prominent Detroit neurosurgeon Devon Hoover inside his historic Boston Edison home has been sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison, bringing a dramatic and disturbing case to a close nearly three years after Hoover’s death shocked the city.
Desmond Burks, 34, pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder, larceny of $20,000 or more, using a computer to commit a crime, and multiple weapons charges in connection with Hoover’s killing. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped a first-degree murder charge that could have carried a mandatory life sentence without parole.
Body Hidden in Crawl Space
Authorities say Burks shot Hoover in April 2023 and concealed the physician’s body inside a crawl space in Hoover’s home in Detroit’s historic Boston Edison neighborhood. Hoover, a respected neurosurgeon affiliated with local hospitals, had been reported missing before investigators ultimately discovered his body inside the residence.
Prosecutors said the two men had been involved in a relationship prior to the killing.
The case quickly drew widespread attention in Detroit due to Hoover’s prominence in the medical community and the unusual circumstances surrounding the discovery of his body.
Defendant Repeatedly Denied Being Gay
During court proceedings, Burks repeatedly attempted to distance himself from the nature of his relationship with Hoover, insisting that the characterization of their connection was wrong.
“I’m not gay. I’m not a murderer. I’m not a killer,” Burks told the court during earlier hearings.
He continued defending himself against the label, saying:
“I love sports. I’m a people person. I’m tired of people saying that I’m some gay killer or a gay person and a gang member in the same breath.”
The comments drew attention during the proceedings as prosecutors laid out evidence linking Burks to Hoover and the crime.
Separate Killing in Road Rage Incident
Burks also addressed another deadly case during his court statements. He apologized for the death of 67-year-old Reda Saleh, who was killed during an April 2023 road-rage incident. Burks said the killing was not intentional.
“I didn’t intentionally do it,” he told the court.
He faces separate charges in that case.
A Community Shaken
Hoover’s death stunned colleagues and residents in Detroit. Known as a highly respected neurosurgeon, he had built a reputation for his work in medicine and was widely admired within the city’s healthcare community.
The discovery of his body inside his own home — hidden in a crawl space — sent shockwaves through the historic Boston Edison neighborhood, an area known for its large early-20th-century homes and prominent residents.
With Burks now sentenced, prosecutors say the plea deal ensures decades behind bars while sparing Hoover’s family the ordeal of a lengthy trial.
Burks will be eligible for parole after serving the minimum portion of his 35- to 60-year sentence.
