Dr. Idris Evans’ wife survived the stabbing, while their two children escaped the home without physical injuries.
EDGEWOOD, Pa. — A pediatric critical care doctor was killed and his wife was seriously wounded after police said a man entered their home outside Pittsburgh and attacked the couple while they slept, leaving their two children to flee to a neighbor’s house.
Dr. Idris Evans, 46, died after the early Thursday attack at his home on Linden Avenue in Edgewood, according to Allegheny County police and court records. His wife, Gina Evans, was also stabbed and was initially hospitalized in critical condition. Police arrested 32-year-old Elijah Hemingway of Pittsburgh near the scene and charged him with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass.
Officers were called to the home shortly after 12:30 a.m. and found the couple suffering from stab wounds. Both were taken to a hospital in critical condition, but Idris Evans was pronounced dead. Authorities said the couple’s children, ages 8 and 12, were inside the house during the attack but escaped without physical injuries after their mother told them to leave and go to a neighbor.
Investigators allege Hemingway entered the house through an open or unlocked window, made his way upstairs and attacked the couple as they slept. Court records say the couple awoke during the attack and tried to fight back. Gina Evans was eventually able to get away and seek help. Police found Hemingway nearby after a search involving a police dog. Authorities said he had injuries to his hand and was taken for medical treatment.
Authorities have not announced a motive. Investigators have also been trying to determine whether Hemingway and Idris Evans knew each other. Gina Evans told investigators that she did not know the man who attacked them but recalled hearing her husband refer to him as “Elijah,” according to court records. Police have said that detail did not establish how, or whether, the two men knew one another.
Evans worked in pediatric critical care at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. UPMC records identify him as medical director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team and an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He was board certified in pediatrics and pediatric critical care medicine, and his professional interests included pediatric sepsis, critical care transport and analysis of electronic health records.
UPMC and University of Pittsburgh colleagues mourned Evans after his death, describing him as a dedicated physician and valued member of the medical community. Friends and former colleagues also recalled his work with critically ill children and their families. His death prompted an outpouring of tributes from people who had worked alongside him in Pittsburgh’s pediatric medical community.
The investigation expanded after Hemingway’s arrest. Allegheny County police said detectives were contacted about a separate sexual assault reported in nearby Wilkinsburg on Sept. 23, the day before the Edgewood attack. Police said a woman reported being attacked while walking along a path between an alley and West Street and that her cellphone was taken.
Investigators said items recovered during the investigation connected Hemingway to that case, including the woman’s cellphone. Authorities subsequently filed additional charges against him, including rape, sexual assault and robbery. Those charges are allegations, and the separate case remains subject to the court process.
Hemingway was arraigned and denied bail, according to local court reporting. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Oct. 9. Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the attack on the Evans family, and investigators continue to examine what connection, if any, existed between Hemingway and Idris Evans.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.