DETROIT – A hearing for the man accused of murdering a well-known Detroit doctor continued Thursday.
Desmond Burks is back in court for his preliminary examination in connection with the death of 53-year-old Dr. Devon Hoover.
The hearing began on Monday, June 23. On Wednesday, the prosecution finished calling their witnesses.
Burks’ preliminary examination ended Thursday, and he was bound over to stand trial on all counts.
Here are some facts to know about the case:
- Dr. Devon Hoover was found dead at his home in Detroit’s Boston-Edison Historic District on Sunday, April 23, 2023. He was a neurosurgeon at Ascension Hospital in Detroit at the time of his death.
- Police found his body wrapped in a carpet in the attic of his house.
- An autopsy confirmed he died from two gunshot wounds to his head.
- Desmond Burks was charged in Hoover’s death after he was arrested in an unrelated road rage case.
Updated media coverage rules:
On Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 36th District Court Judge Shawn K. Jacque revised his initial order. Due to this, we cannot:
- Live stream the hearing
- Show or publish the faces of any non-police witnesses
- Show or publish the names of any non-police witnesses
- Play or publish the voices of any non-police witnesses (unless their voices are concealed or disguised)
- Describe or report any non-police witnesses using descriptive terms (e.g., relationship, appearance, age, employment, proximity, etc.) that can be used to determine the identity of the witness
When the judge initially wrote the order, the rule about descriptive terms wasn’t included.
He then added a restriction to his order about descriptive terms for all witnesses on Tuesday, but loosened up on that restriction on Wednesday.
In his final revision of the order, the judge said police witnesses could be referenced by name and title, and that gender could be used when describing all witnesses.
The judge said he put these restrictions in place over concerns about safety.
Here are the full updates updates:
Burks bound over on all counts
- 12:31 p.m. Thursday
The purpose of a preliminary examination is to determine if a felony was committed and if there is probable cause to send a defendant to trial, the judge said.
After reviewing the exhibits and hearing testimony from several witnesses, the judge determined that there was probable cause to bind Burks over on all counts.
Burks re-enters the courtroom
- 12:03 p.m. Thursday
Burks has walked back into the courtroom for his preliminary examination.
Court still on break
- 11:53 a.m. Thursday
Court is still on break.
Here’s a full breakdown of everything that led up to Burks’ preliminary examination if you want to catch up on the case:
--> Man charged in well-known Detroit doctor’s murder to appear in court. Here’s everything we know
Burks leaves courtroom
- 11:18 a.m. Thursday
Burks leaves the courtroom as the court break begins.
Judge wants to review exhibits
- 11:17 a.m. Thursday
The judge said he wanted to take a look at a couple of the exhibits that were presented in court again after hearing the arguments from the prosecution and the defense. After he reviews them, he’ll give his ruling.
Court is on break until 11:45 a.m.
Defense final arguments
- 11:09 a.m. Thursday
The defense began its argument by saying there is no direct evidence that Burks caused the death of Dr. Hoover.
They argued that being angry or upset doesn’t mean something was premeditated.
The defense argues that we don’t know if Hoover sent other text messages to other people on the day of Hoover’s death, and that we don’t know if another third party showed up.
There is no testimony given that Burks had a gun on April 22, according to the defense. The only proof is one witness saying they saw a gun on his hip a few weeks before Hoover’s death, and another witness saying she saw him with a gun, but had only seen the barrel.
The defense referenced Burks’ limp and questioned how he would’ve been able to put Hoover’s dead body in the attic while having the limp.
They also say they can infer Burks had been in Hoover’s SUV before the day of his death due to their ongoing relationship, and that’s how his fingerprint would’ve been there.
The defense said they do not believe probable cause has been reached and that there is no direct evidence that Burks was the shooter.
Prosecution final arguments
- 10:39 a.m. Thursday
The prosecution argued that due to the video exhibits and witness testimony, there was probable cause that crimes were committed and it’s probable that Burks was responsible.
They said that Hoover and Burks had a continued sexual relationship and that Hoover would give Burks money.
The prosecution argued that Burks could have been jealous of other partners or mad about the idea of other partners being introduced into their relationship.
Leading up to Hoover’s death, there are messages about Hoover and Burks meeting up.
The prosecution said Hoover drove to Burks’ location on Sussex Street in Detroit to pick up Burks.
Burks then left his phone at home, got into the car and the two went back to Hoover’s home.
The prosecution argued that when Burks went over to Hoover’s house that day, he had a 9mm gun with him.
The two then entered the home, and while they were in there, Hoover sent a message to another individual to come over and join them, but that person didn’t see the message until a later time.
Then, one person is seen leaving Hoover’s home.
Prosecutors say it took Burks about 14 minutes to get back to the Sussex home, where he parked the car around the block from the house, on Coyle Street.
When Burks exited the vehicle, he was seen walking with a limp and had a black backpack with him.
A fraud investigator said fraud started on Hoover’s accounts about eight minutes after Burks was seen getting out of the vehicle.
Burks immediately started texting his associates, according to the prosecution. One witness picked him up and took him to Fairlane Mall in Dearborn, where he bought two items with a pile of cash.
Then, the Cash App transactions began.
The prosecution said Burks sent associates money from a different account and then asked them to send back the majority of the cash back to his own account.
Burks is also accused of taking a watch that Hoover purchased at Somerset Mall just days before his death, which Burks was seen wearing. Another one of Hoover’s watches was found at a home associated with Burks five days after Hoover’s body was found.
The prosecution also argued that suspected blood was found inside and outside of Hoover’s SUV, and that Burks’ fingerprint was found inside of it.
Burks is accused of committing many acts of deception before Hoover’s body was even found, including trying to change his phone number and deleting text messages, the prosecution said.
After Hoover’s body was found, the doctor’s phone also continued to move with Burks, according to phone data.
The prosecutor also referenced testimony from one of the witnesses, who talked about renting Burks a car, and how Burks was planning to go on a trip and dropped off a bag at his house.
After learning about Hoover’s murder, the witness looked inside the bag and found surgical glasses with Hoover’s name engraved on them and a 9mm gun.
Once Burks was released, Burks was upset when he learned the witness didn’t get rid of the gun, and the two of them allegedly went and threw it into the Rouge River.
The prosecution said it is abundantly clear that Burks is responsible for the murder when looking at the evidence in this case.
“Why bring a gun over to Dr. Hoover’s house and not your phone if you’re there to have a good time?” the prosecutor said.
The prosecution used these points as he went through each charge that Burks is facing and asked the judge to bind Burks over for trial.
Preliminary examination continues
- 10:37 a.m. Thursday
The fourth day of Burks’ preliminary examination has begun.
The prosecution rested its case on Wednesday, and Thursday will start with final arguments from the prosecution and the defense.
Burks enters the courtroom
- 10:28 a.m. Thursday
Burks has entered the courtroom for the fourth day of his preliminary examination.