DETROIT (WXYZ) — On day three of Desmond Burks' preliminary hearing, more of his former lovers took the stand in the murder case of a well-known Detroit neurosurgeon.
Attorneys fought over whether certain questions could be asked in a case filled with charges of murder and sex with complete strangers.
Watch the video report below:
During the hearing, prosecutors played video of Burks walking into a jewelry store at Fairlane Mall on April 22, 2023. That's the day Dr. Devon Hoover was discovered dead in his home.
A woman familiar with the transaction said Burks bought a 10-karat yellow gold charm and 10-karat yellow gold diamond earrings.
The prosecutor asked, "How did the individual pay for them?"
"Cash," the witness replied.
It was an expensive cash transaction despite more witnesses describing Burks as broke. Those same witnesses testified that Burks sent them hundreds of dollars via Cash App from an unknown account. They were then instructed to send the money to Burks’ actual Cash App account and to keep a little money for themselves. Witnesses said they were then told to delete their Cash App account.
In addition to murder, Burks is charged with larceny. He’s accused of stealing more than $30,000 from Hoover through Cash App and bank fraud transactions.
Watch our coverage of day two of the hearing below:
One woman said Burks instructed her to buy him some Cartier glasses online with Hoover’s credit card number and to buy something nice for herself.
The prosecutor asked the witness, "Were you given immunity for the credit card fraud and the fraudulent activities that took place in this case?"
The witness replied, "Yes."
The woman testified that Burks previously broke her jaw, so her brother got revenge.
"My brother shot him," the witness said.
After becoming associated with Burks over a period of time, another woman testified that she's scared of Burks and faced threats.
Watch our coverage of day one of the hearing below:
The prosecutor asked, "And what was it that he told you about the situation and why he was arrested?"
The witness replied, "He said that they was trying to frame him. They was trying to put the murder on him.”
Testimony resumes in the morning.
