Desmond Burks pleaded guilty this week to second-degree murder in the killing of Detroit neurosurgeon Dr. Devon Hoover, abruptly ending a case that had been moving toward a lengthy jury trial.
The plea came just two days into jury selection, cutting short proceedings that were expected to last several weeks and bringing resolution to a case that has drawn sustained attention since Hoover was found dead in his home in April 2023.
Burks, 35, had originally been charged with first-degree murder, a count prosecutors agreed to drop as part of the plea deal.
Discovery of Hoover’s body
Hoover, 53, was found dead on April 23, 2023, inside his home on W. Boston Boulevard near Woodward Avenue during a police welfare check. Officers were asked to check on Hoover after he failed to arrive in Indiana for a planned visit with his mother.
Police reported finding a rear driveway gate open and what appeared to be blood on the back door before entering the home. Inside, officers discovered Hoover’s body hidden in a third-floor attic crawl space, wrapped in a blood-soaked carpet.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office determined Hoover had been shot twice in the back of the head.
Massive investigation spanned multiple states and countries
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced charges in August 2024 following an investigation that stretched more than a year and extended well beyond Michigan.
Authorities said investigators worked across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Texas, and California, and coordinated efforts in the United States, England, and France. The case involved more than 100 hours of video interviews, surveillance footage from 24 locations, over 300 pieces of evidence, and more than 134 search warrants.
Prosecutors also cited the recovery of Hoover’s Range Rover, two luxury watches, and large volumes of digital data, which later became central to the charges Burks admitted to in court.
Evidence pointed to Burks
Prosecutors have said Burks and Hoover were involved in an intimate relationship, and that digital records played a key role in the investigation, including phone data, text messages, and financial activity reviewed by detectives.
Flood said the case against Burks relied heavily on circumstantial and electronic evidence placing him with Hoover around the time of the killing and tying him to theft following Hoover’s death.
“What were the circumstances? He was there the night of, right? He stole the car, the text messages, the electronically stored information for the phone, all of those things, taking the money,” Flood said.
Rare mid-trial plea
Burks’ decision to plead guilty after jury selection had already begun is uncommon, though not unheard of, according to Todd Flood, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor.
Jury selection started after more than a week of delays and continued into a second day before the plea was entered. The trial was expected to last approximately six weeks had it gone forward.
Deal spares family lengthy trial
In addition to second-degree murder, Burks pleaded guilty to larceny of $20,000 or more, using a computer to commit a crime, and weapons charges. Under the agreement, he faces 35 to 60 years in prison for the murder conviction, plus an additional five years on a weapons charge. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20.
Hoover’s family said the plea brought a sense of relief after years of waiting.
“As a family, we are relieved to know that Desmond Burks pleaded guilty,” the family said in a statement. “We are glad that a long and difficult trial will not be necessary.”
Carol Gove, a close friend of Hoover, said the news was unexpected but welcomed.
“I’m still a little bit in shock. Devon’s sister just called me and gave me the news,” Gove said. “I’m relieved that it’s over. It’s been very anxiety-producing thinking about going to testify. I’m relieved that his murderer will be locked away for the rest of his life. Nothing can bring Devon back; the people that are still suffering are his would-be patients.”
Legal team surprised by decision
Even Burks’ own attorney said the plea came as a surprise.
“It was a bit of a surprise to all of us, but at the end of the day, it was his decision,” defense attorney Gabi Silver said.
Flood said guilty pleas at this stage can also reflect an effort to limit the emotional toll on victims’ families.
“I’ve been in murder trials, too many to count and the victim’s family, it’s trauma. It’s peeling back wounds. It’s taking off the Band-Aid,” Flood said. “So to spare them this ugliness, this trial of listening and going through all of this, that’s some mercy.”
Resolution after long wait
With Burks’ guilty plea entered, the case now moves directly to sentencing, closing a chapter that spanned nearly three years, from the discovery of Hoover’s body through an extensive investigation and the brink of trial.
While the plea cannot undo the loss of Dr. Hoover, it guarantees a lengthy prison sentence and spares his family weeks of testimony about the circumstances of his death.