A quiet Edgewood neighborhood became the scene of a deadly overnight attack Thursday when a Pittsburgh-area pediatric critical care physician was fatally stabbed inside his home and his wife was left critically injured.
Dr. Idris Evans, 46, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after emergency crews found him suffering from multiple stab wounds at the Linden Avenue residence. His wife was also seriously wounded and remained in critical condition, according to authorities.
Police identified 32-year-old Elijah Hemingway as the suspect. He is facing charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass in connection with the attack. The charges are allegations, and a court will determine the case as it moves forward.
Attack happened while the family was asleep
Allegheny County emergency dispatchers received a report of a stabbing shortly after 12:30 a.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Linden Avenue.
Investigators said the couple was asleep when a man entered the home and attacked them. Police believe the suspect got inside through a rear window before going to the bedroom where Evans and his wife were sleeping.
The scene inside the home was described by police as extremely violent, with bedroom furniture and mirrors damaged during what appeared to have been a struggle.
According to the criminal complaint, Evans’ wife told investigators that she woke up during the attack and saw the man stabbing her and her husband with a kitchen knife. She said the man was wearing only underwear and repeatedly made statements about God.
She also told investigators that Evans referred to the attacker as “Elijah” during the assault. That detail has raised questions about whether the two men knew each other, but investigators have not established a confirmed relationship between them.
Children escaped to a neighbor’s home
The couple’s two children were also inside the house when the attack happened.
Police said the children were able to leave the residence and reach a neighbor without being injured. Their escape meant they were not physically harmed in the incident, even as their parents were being attacked inside the home.
Evans’ wife eventually managed to get out and seek help. She also told investigators that the attacker demanded the family’s car keys. She handed them over, but police have not indicated that the suspect ultimately took the vehicle.
Suspect found nearby after K-9 search
Following the attack, officers searched the surrounding area for the suspect.
A K-9 unit from the Monroeville Police Department eventually located Hemingway hiding behind a nearby home. He had cuts on his hand and was taken to a hospital for treatment before being placed in custody.
Investigators later questioned Hemingway about what happened.
According to the criminal complaint, Hemingway gave police a different account, claiming Evans had invited him into the house and then attacked him with a knife. Hemingway allegedly told investigators that he disarmed Evans and stabbed the couple in self-defense.
Police said they found no evidence supporting that version of events. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not announced a motive for the attack.
Evans was a pediatric critical care physician
The victim was not only a local physician but also a member of the medical community at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Evans worked as a pediatric critical care physician and served as an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He was also associated with the hospital’s pediatric critical care transport program.
Colleagues and neighbors have remembered Evans as a caring and helpful member of the community. One neighbor described the Evans family as friendly and closely connected to other families in the area, saying the news of the attack left the neighborhood in shock.
UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh have expressed condolences to Evans’ family, friends and colleagues following his death.
Investigators still looking for answers
One of the biggest unanswered questions is why Hemingway allegedly entered the home and whether he had any previous connection with Evans.
Police have not announced a motive. The fact that Evans reportedly called the attacker “Elijah” during the incident is part of the investigation, but authorities have not publicly concluded that the two men knew one another.
For now, Hemingway remains in custody facing multiple charges related to the deadly attack. The investigation is continuing as detectives work to establish what led to the confrontation and what happened inside the home before and during the stabbing.
The case remains pending, and the allegations against Hemingway have not been proven in court.
