DETROIT – Detroit police confirmed a person of interest had been taken into custody in the death of Dr. Devon Hoover.
Hoover, 53, is the neurosurgeon that was killed inside his home in Detroit’s Historic Boston Edison District.
Police are now confirming what Local 4 has been reporting, which is the attack was not random.
Hoover knew his killer, which is why there was no forced entry into the home, but an important distinction to be made is that the person in custody is in custody on an unrelated warrant.
“We’re confident that the person has information on what transpired,” said Detroit Police Chief James White.
Police aren’t calling the man taken into custody around 12:15 a.m. a suspect yet. But the two did know each other.
Mara MacDonald: “Are you comfortable characterizing the nature of the relationship at this time?”
White: “I am not comfortable doing that at this point. I think that it would be irresponsible for me to do that until I know a little bit more information. Right now, though, we are happy to have a person of interest who we could question. We are confident as a police agency that this person knows something about what occurred.”
Hoover was found shot in the head multiple times on Sunday (April 23). His body was hidden in an upstairs attic crawl space. He’d been wrapped in a blanket.
Police got a call from his out-of-state family concerned when Hoover didn’t show up when they were expecting him.
“They were quickly concerned about some of the things that they saw, and as a result, they went into the home, and the rest is where we are today,” White said.
The shock at the murder of a talented neurosurgeon universally described as kind and generous to a fault was overwhelming.
Patients, friends, and neighbors were outspoken in their love for Hoover for his many kindnesses, whether it was opening his landmark home for neighborhood events or his bedside manner.
“If you know anything or if you have any idea, tell somebody because this man did nothing besides amazing things for people,” said former patient Megan Beeme.
The funeral for Hoover is scheduled for this weekend.