A quiet Edgewood neighborhood became the scene of a deadly overnight attack Thursday after police said a man entered a family’s home and stabbed a husband and wife as they slept.
The man who died was identified as Dr. Idris Evans, 46, a pediatric critical care physician and medical director at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. His wife was also seriously injured and remained in critical condition following the attack.
Police identified the suspect as 32-year-old Elijah Hemingway of Pittsburgh. He is facing charges including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass. Updated court information also lists additional charges, including attempted criminal homicide and possessing an instrument of crime.
The attack happened shortly after 12:30 a.m. Thursday on the 100 block of Linden Avenue in Edgewood.
Couple Attacked While Sleeping
According to the criminal complaint, Evans and his wife were in their third-floor bedroom when they woke to an attacker armed with a kitchen knife.
The woman told investigators that the man was wearing only underwear and was attacking the couple. During the struggle, she called out for the couple’s two children, ages 8 and 12, and told them to get out of the house and go to a neighbor for safety.
She also told investigators that she heard her husband refer to the attacker as “Elijah.” Police have not established whether Evans and Hemingway knew each other, and investigators were still working to determine what led to the confrontation.
The woman was able to escape and get help. Evans and his wife were taken to hospitals after first responders found them suffering from multiple stab wounds. Evans later died from his injuries.
Police said the suspect apparently entered the home through an open window.
Suspect Found Behind Nearby Home
The search for the suspect continued in the neighborhood after the attack.
A K9 unit from the Monroeville Police Department eventually located Hemingway behind a nearby home. Police said he had cuts on his hands when he was found and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Investigators said Hemingway later gave police a different account of what happened. According to the criminal complaint, he told investigators that Evans had invited him to the house earlier and that Evans attacked him first.
Police said they did not find evidence supporting that version of events.
The investigation also included an examination of the home and surrounding area. Authorities were looking into how Hemingway entered the residence and whether he had any prior connection to the family.
Evans Remembered as Pediatric Critical Care Physician
Evans worked at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he served as a pediatric critical care physician and medical director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team. He was also an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
His death has drawn a response from colleagues at UPMC and the university, who described him as a dedicated caregiver and valued member of their medical community.
Neighbors also described the Evans family as friendly and involved in the neighborhood. The family’s two children were able to get out of the home safely during the attack.
Hemingway Was Already Facing a Burglary Case
The Edgewood charges came while Hemingway was already facing a separate felony case in Pittsburgh.
That case stems from an incident reported in February, when a woman told police that she returned home after taking her child to daycare and noticed that her laptop had been moved.
According to the earlier criminal complaint, a home security camera allegedly showed Hemingway entering the residence and taking two iPhones and a laptop. The woman told police that Hemingway was her former partner and had never lived at the residence or been given permission to enter it.
Pittsburgh police arrested him in July in connection with that case. He was charged with burglary and theft by unlawful taking.
Court records indicate that Hemingway was released on nonmonetary bail after his July arraignment. His preliminary hearing had been continued twice and was scheduled for October 1 before the Edgewood killing.
The earlier case was still pending when the fatal attack occurred.
Investigation Into Motive Continues
Police have not announced a motive in the Edgewood attack.
Investigators are also examining whether there was any previous relationship between Evans and Hemingway. The fact that Evans may have addressed the attacker by the name Elijah is part of the investigation, but authorities have not said that this establishes a prior relationship.
Hemingway remains accused of the charges filed against him, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
The homicide investigation remains active as authorities continue examining the events leading up to the attack and the suspect’s movements before and after the stabbing.
