A quiet night in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, turned deadly early September 24 when police say 32-year-old Elijah Hemingway entered a family’s home and attacked a couple as they slept.
Dr. Idris Evans, a 46-year-old pediatric critical care physician at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, was fatally stabbed. His wife, Gina Evans, was also seriously injured. Their two children, ages 8 and 12, were inside the home but escaped to a neighbor and were not physically injured.
Hemingway was arrested shortly afterward and charged in connection with the attack. Days later, investigators announced additional charges stemming from a separate alleged sexual assault in nearby Wilkinsburg.
What Happened Inside The Edgewood Home
Allegheny County police were called to the 100 block of Linden Avenue at about 12:30 a.m. on September 24.
According to the criminal complaint, police believe Hemingway entered the home through a rear window and went to the couple’s third-floor bedroom.
Evans and his wife told investigators that they woke up to a man attacking them with a kitchen knife. The couple fought back during the assault.
Gina Evans then yelled for her children to leave the house. The children ran to a neighbor’s home, where they were safe.
The attack left both adults with multiple stab wounds. Evans was taken to Forbes Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His wife was hospitalized with serious injuries and was later reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators described the bedroom as a violent scene, with damaged furniture, broken mirrors and blood throughout parts of the room.
How Police Found Elijah Hemingway
Police say Hemingway left the house after the stabbing.
A police K-9 later found him hiding in a nearby yard. Investigators said he had cuts on his hands and was taken to a hospital for treatment before being taken into custody.
Gina Evans told investigators that she heard her husband call the attacker “Elijah.” She did not say that she personally knew the man.
That detail became important in the Edgewood stabbing investigation, as detectives worked to determine whether Evans and Hemingway had any previous connection.
Local reporting found that some neighbors did not recognize Hemingway, while police cautioned that one person’s recollection may have involved another man who resembled him. Authorities have not established a prior relationship between Evans and Hemingway.
A motive for the Edgewood attack has not been publicly established.
Who Was Dr. Idris Evans?
The man killed in the attack had spent his career caring for critically ill children.
According to the UPMC physician profile, Evans was the medical director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
He was board certified in both pediatrics and pediatric critical care medicine.
His professional work included pediatric sepsis, critical care transport and electronic health record analysis. He earned his medical degree from Drexel College of Medicine and a master’s degree in medical statistics from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine before completing his pediatric training and critical care fellowship at UPMC.
Following his death, colleagues and families who had encountered him through UPMC remembered his work with critically ill children.
CNN reported that pediatrician Dr. Hayley Hellstern described Evans as a compassionate physician who cared for children and helped train other pediatricians. A family whose young daughter had received treatment at UPMC also remembered Evans for helping them navigate her complicated medical care.
TribLive’s report on Evans’ colleagues and medical career also documented how coworkers remembered him for his calm approach while treating critically ill children.
Hemingway Was Already Facing A Burglary Case
The Edgewood attack occurred while Hemingway was already facing a separate criminal case in Pittsburgh.
According to reporting based on court records, Hemingway was arrested in July over an alleged burglary in the city’s Spring Hill-City View neighborhood.
The case stemmed from an incident reported in February. Police said surveillance footage showed Hemingway entering a former partner’s home and taking two iPhones and a laptop.
He was charged with burglary and theft by unlawful taking and released on nonmonetary bail while the case was pending.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s review of Hemingway’s court history also reported previous disorderly conduct cases and arrests in Florida. Those earlier cases are separate from the allegations now before Pennsylvania courts.
Previous arrests and charges do not establish that Hemingway committed the Edgewood killing or any other later offense.
A Separate Wilkinsburg Case
The investigation took another turn when Allegheny County detectives were contacted about an alleged sexual assault in Wilkinsburg on September 23, roughly 14 hours before the Edgewood stabbing.
According to police, a woman reported that an unknown man attacked her while she was walking along a path connecting an alley to West Street.
Investigators later said they recovered several items they believe connected Hemingway to that case, including the woman’s cellphone, which had reportedly been taken during the incident.
Police also said clothing recovered during the investigation was similar to clothing described by the woman. She later told investigators that she recognized Hemingway after seeing news coverage of the Edgewood killing.
Hemingway is charged with rape, sexual assault and robbery in connection with the Wilkinsburg sexual assault case.
Those are allegations, and the charges have not been proven in court.
What Happens Next In Court
Hemingway was arraigned and denied bail. He remains in the Allegheny County Jail.
He faces criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass charges in connection with the Edgewood attack, along with the additional Wilkinsburg charges.
According to the latest court update, his preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 9, 2026.
The hearing will be an early stage of the criminal proceedings. Prosecutors will have an opportunity to present evidence supporting the charges, while the defense can challenge the prosecution’s case.
The investigation into Evans’ death is also continuing. Authorities have not publicly established why Hemingway allegedly entered the Edgewood home or whether he had any previous connection with Evans.
For Evans’ family and the Pittsburgh medical community, the case remains the sudden loss of a physician whose professional life was centered on treating seriously ill children.
The investigation and court proceedings will determine what evidence can ultimately be established about the September 24 attack.
