The individual charged with the murder of a pediatrician in Pittsburgh and severely injuring his wife during a late-night home invasion is also accused of sexually assaulting another woman just hours prior. Elijah Hemingway, 32, reportedly attacked a woman in Wilkinsburg on Wednesday morning while she was walking down a path connected to an alley, as stated by the Allegheny County Police Department in a Facebook post.
According to officials, Hemingway took the woman’s cell phone during the incident. It’s been noted that the victim had no prior connection to him.
Wilkinsburg police communicated with Allegheny County detectives, who launched a further investigation into the sexual assault alongside the homicide case. They discovered several pieces of evidence linking Hemingway to the sexual assault, including the victim’s phone that was taken.
Following discussions with the district attorney’s office, additional charges, such as rape and robbery, were filed against Hemingway.
The incident in Wilkinsburg occurred before he allegedly entered a home in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, where he attacked a couple in their sleep early Thursday morning. The pediatrician, identified as the 46-year-old Dr. Idris Evans, died after being rushed to the hospital.
Witness accounts suggest that Hemingway attacked while in his underwear. During the struggle, Dr. Evans’ wife described him as behaving “psychotic,” claiming he was “God.” As chaos unfolded, she urged their two children, ages 8 and 12, to flee the house. Interestingly, she mentioned that Dr. Evans called the attacker “Elijah,” which implies a possible previous connection. Nonetheless, authorities have been unable to confirm any existing relationship between Evans and Hemingway.
Dr. Evans’ wife, in her statements to the police, indicated she didn’t know the assailant and was unclear about how he entered their residence.
During the investigation, Hemingway provided a narrative that contradicted the police findings. He claimed that Dr. Evans had allowed him into the home earlier and suggested that he had been attacked first. However, authorities did not find any evidence of a stab wound on Hemingway and couldn’t locate the bicycle he mentioned using to arrive at the home.
Hemingway faces multiple charges in connection to the attack, including homicide and burglary. Notably, court records reveal that he has a criminal history dating back to 2016 and was released without bail in July following a burglary charge from February.
