A doctor from a children’s hospital in Pittsburgh was tragically stabbed to death, and his wife was critically injured after an intruder reportedly broke into their home and attacked them while they were asleep early Thursday morning, according to police.
Dr. Idris Evans, 46, lost his life in the incident at their residence in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, as per information from the Allegheny County Police Department. His wife, on the other hand, is in critical but stable condition, authorities informed.
Emergency services received a call about a stabbing in the 100 block of Linden Avenue at 12:31 a.m. Responders arrived to find both Evans and his wife with multiple stab wounds.
The late doctor was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, while his wife was also taken for treatment.
Police have identified a 32-year-old suspect, Elijah Hemingway, from Pittsburgh. Detectives gathered details from witness accounts which suggested that Hemingway entered their home and attacked the couple while they were in bed.
In a chilling account, Evans’ wife recounted to investigators that they woke up to find a man attacking them with a kitchen knife. Remarkably, she noted that the assailant was only wearing underwear and claimed to be “God,” according to court documents.
During the incident, she urgently called for their children, aged 8 and 12, to escape to a neighbor’s house, as conveyed by KDKA.
Interestingly, she also reported that Evans addressed the assailant by the name “Elijah,” leading authorities to ponder whether there was a prior acquaintance. “We don’t know if there was any pre-existing relationship,” stated Allegheny County Assistant Superintendent Victor Joseph, adding that they are trying to confirm if there was any connection between the two men.
A K-9 unit from the Monroeville Police Department eventually located Hemingway hiding behind a neighboring home and found injuries on his hands. He is currently hospitalized but will be transferred to Allegheny County Jail.
Hemingway faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary, and criminal trespass. There have been no updates on these charges as of Thursday.
Investigators have not determined a motive yet. Police indicated that figuring out the motives, as well as the nature of any potential relationship between Hemingway and Evans, remains part of the ongoing inquiry.
Dr. Evans served as the medical director for the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He was also an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, according to his university profile.
The UPMC and University of Pittsburgh community expressed deep sorrow over the loss of Dr. Idris Evans. A spokesperson mentioned in a statement that he was a dedicated caregiver and a valued member of the community. Their thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this challenging time, and they ask for privacy to be respected.
