‘Interested’ in brutal murder of star neurosurgeon is arrested ‘on unrelated charges’
A ‘person of interest’ has been arrested in the brutal murder of a star neurosurgeon who was shot multiple times in the head before being found wrapped in a plastic sheet in the attic of his mansion.
The arrest comes nearly a week after Dr. Devon Hoover, 53, was killed Sunday night in what police initially said was likely a domestic incident turned fatal.
Detroit police announced the development Friday, saying they are “confident” the arrested man “has information about what happened.” The person is being held on charges unrelated to the doctor’s death.
The beloved doctor was discovered Sunday after police conducted a welfare check when he failed to show up for a family celebration in Indiana, reports Fox 2.
Authorities initially said Hoover had been shot once, but a medical examiner found on Thursday that he had been shot multiple times in the head. His cause of death was officially ruled as homicide.
Dr. Devon Hoover, pictured, was shot multiple times in the head before being discovered wrapped in a sheet in his attic
Law enforcement officials are reportedly looking for a “person of interest” in the shooting. Pictured: A Michigan State Police forensics lab
After the arrest, Detroit Police Chief James White said the arrested man and Hoover knew each other but declined to go into detail about the nature of their relationship.
“This was not a random act,” White added.
The official did not disclose a possible motive for the killing, but said his department has “some theories.”
“At this point, we’re happy to have a stakeholder we can interview,” he said. “We won’t stop until we have all the information we need.”
“We are still actively investigating this matter,” White stressed, adding that there is no indication that there is still a risk to the community.
Police say there were no signs of a break-in at Hoover’s $1.2 million mansion in Detroit. He was thought to live alone, and his car was later found on Detroit’s west side.
The murder stunned the doctor’s friends, colleagues and ex-patients, who spoke highly of the 53-year-old.
His former neighbor, Roland Radinski, who lives in a $3.2 million house built by K-Mart founder SS Kresge on Hoover’s lavish street, told DailyMail.com that he “never had a fight” with the surgeon in the 15 years he knew him.
He added that those who knew the top doctor had “nothing but good things to say about him,” an idea echoed by many as tributes poured in for the slain surgeon.
“We, the family of Devon Hoover, would like to express our deep sorrow for the loss of a beloved son, brother and uncle,” Hoover’s relatives said in a statement.
“We mourn his untimely death and will miss him dearly. We are so thankful for the many kind words and stories from people touched by his life. He was a gift from God and used his talents to bless many.”
A neighbor said the neurosurgeon lived alone but was an “anchor of the block” and was “extremely involved in the neighborhood”
The top doctor was described as ‘great’ by friends, family and former patients
The neurosurgeon’s death shook the opulent neighborhood where he lived for decades, in Detroit’s historic Boston-Edison neighborhood.
The lucrative area is one of the city’s most upscale neighborhoods, and according to the website is home to numerous Michigan celebrities, including heavyweight boxer Joe Louis and music legend Barry Gordy.
Hoover’s neighbor, Jonathan Shearrod, told the Detroit News, “It’s going to take you a while to realize what happened.”
He said the famed neurosurgeon lived alone but was an “anchor of the block” and was “extremely involved in the neighborhood,” hosting regular parties and functions at his lavish home.
“I just can’t imagine anyone going through that at home or facing that kind of terror where you live.”