Person of interest in custody in killing of Detroit neurosurgeon

A person of interest in the killing of Detroit neurosurgeon Devon Hoover is in custody, Detroit police announced on Friday.

The individual is being held on charges unrelated to the slain doctor's death, Detroit Police Chief James White said. He and Hoover knew each other, White said, but declined to comment further on the nature of their relationship.

"We're confident this person has information about what transpired," White said. "This was not a random act."

White declined to comment on a potential motive.

"We've got some theories," he said. "Right now, we're happy to have a person of interest who we can question — we're not going to stop until we have every piece of information that we need."

More: Death of beloved Detroit neurosurgeon ruled homicide

White said detectives are heading in the right direction. He expects more details on the killing to be released at a later time.

Hoover, 53, was discovered dead in his home in the Boston-Edison Historic District on Sunday. He was found wrapped in a sheet and stuffed in an attic crawl space, Fox2 reported.

Hoover's killing was ruled a homicide by multiple gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office.

White said a member of Hoover's family, who lives in Indiana, had called police because he did not show up to an event where he was expected. Officers went to Hoover's home on a welfare check and were "quickly concerned about some of the things that they saw and went into the home," White said, declining to comment further.

Friends and former patients of Hoover's described him as brilliant, exceptional and larger-than-life. He was known for his generosity, compassion and kindness.

An outpouring of shock, grief and anger over the slaying continues to mount. Over 2,500 people have joined the Facebook group "Justice for Dr. Devon Hoover" as of Friday afternoon. The group is flooded with tributes dedicated to the slain doctor, many of whom were patients who said they are alive because of Hoover's care.

Hoover was a doctor at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit and had practiced neurosurgery for over 20 years, first getting his medical degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine and then completing his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. She can be contacted at 313-264-0442, asahouri@freepress.com or on Twitter @andreamsahouri.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit neurosurgeon Devon Hoover death: Person of interest in custody