DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Renowned Michigan doctor Devon Hoover, who was found dead in his attic with two gunshot wounds in the back of his head on April 23, reportedly loved collecting art and antiques. In addition to gaining recognition for his brilliant surgical skills and gentle behavior, the medical professional was known for spending hours tracking down the perfect art collection to decorate his nine-bedroom 1915 mansion located on a quaint street in the historic Boston-Edison neighborhood of Detroit.
“He had a very good eye for decor and restoration,” Hoover’s former neighbor, Jeanne Wyatt, 75, told People. “Anytime he got a new piece of artwork or antique, he would invite us over for wine so that we could see them or the things that he'd done to the house. He did this so we could all share in the glory of helping our old houses come back to life,” she added.
‘He opened his house up for many house and garden tours’
Speaking to People about Hoover, his neighbor said that the doctor, 53, often allowed the community to tour his historic home. “He opened his house up for many house and garden tours and fundraising events,” Wyatt said. “He was this very kind and gentle soul,” she continued. “He was a very successful neurosurgeon but had no airs. Just a real down-to-earth person and very involved in the community. It’s a terrible loss for all of us,” Wyatt noted.
In addition to collecting art and antiques to decorate his interiors, the surgeon also paid attention to the area outside his residence. Similar to his home decor, Hoover kept his yard perfectly manicured and took care of the lush green hedges. “The hedges were his specialty and only he could meet his own standards,” his obituary mentioned. “One of his friends jokingly threatened to burn down the hedges because Devon was declining too many social invitations, saying, ‘Oh, I can't come because I need to trim the hedges,’” it stated.
Devon Hoover was reportedly nervous about living alone
Although Hoover loved the lavish mansion he bought in 2008, the doctor was also allegedly nervous about living alone in the nine-bedroom residence, another of his neighbor, James Murphy, told People. “You're just always cautious. Being in that type of home, living alone and so forth, you always just had to have your eyes open. 'Be careful. Be careful outside. Pay attention,' was just something we'd always say to one another,” Murphy mentioned. The latter also said that he still cannot believe that Hoover’s biggest fear about living by himself became a reality.
Detroit Police Department spokesperson Corporal Dan Donakowski said officials went to Hoover's $1.2 million home section for a well-being check around 8:13 PM on April 23. Shortly after, they found the beloved doctor’s body stuffed inside a crawlspace in his attic, covered with a comforter, rug and sheet. Reports suggest the neurosurgeon was dragged to the attic facedown and naked with only a sock on his foot.
James E White, chief of the Detroit Police Department, told the publication that it was “not a random act.” A person of interest was reportedly arrested in the wake of Hoover’s murder but they were later released. No other arrests related to the case have been made so far. White said the homicide unit is investigating “day and night,” adding, “We are confident that our victim and the perpetrator knew each other.”
