Desmond Burks, 35, was sentenced to 35 to 60 years in prison for the 2023 murder of Devon Hoover and 10 to 15 years for the 2024 killing of Reda Saleh. The sentences will run concurrently. Burks pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and related charges in Hoover’s death, while accepting a manslaughter conviction in Saleh’s case. A first-degree murder charge in Hoover’s killing was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Details of Dr. Devon Hoover’s Murder
Hoover, a respected neurosurgeon who lived in Detroit’s Boston-Edison Historic District, was found dead in April 2023 inside the attic crawl space of his mansion. Authorities determined he had been shot twice in the head. Prosecutors, including Kym Worthy, said Hoover and Burks had an intimate relationship and had exchanged thousands of text messages. After the killing, investigators reported that Hoover’s belongings were stolen and fraudulent financial activity occurred.
Courtroom Reaction and the Second Killing
During sentencing before Paul Cusick, Burks showed no remorse, smiling and dismissing the proceedings while Hoover’s family delivered victim impact statements. He claimed he was “not a murderer,” prompting the judge to firmly reject that assertion. About a year after Hoover’s death, Burks fatally punched Saleh during a road dispute in Detroit. Saleh later died from his injuries, leading to the manslaughter conviction that added to Burks’ overall sentence.
