The man accused of fatally stabbing a Pittsburgh pediatrician and critically wounding his wife during a home invasion is now also charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Wilkinsburg just hours before the killing, according to the Allegheny County Police Department.
Elijah Hemingway, 32, allegedly attacked the woman Wednesday morning while she was walking along a path connecting to an alley in Wilkinsburg, police said in a Facebook post Saturday. Officials said Hemingway stole the woman’s cell phone during the assault and that she did not know him beforehand.
Wilkinsburg police alerted Allegheny County detectives, who investigated the assault alongside the homicide case already underway. Detectives said they recovered “multiple items connecting Hemingway to the reported sexual assault, along with the victim’s cell phone that was reported stolen during the incident.”
After consulting with the district attorney’s office, county police filed additional charges against Hemingway, including rape, sexual assault and robbery.
Deadly Attack in Edgewood
The Wilkinsburg assault happened just outside Edgewood, where police say Hemingway broke into a home and stabbed a couple as they slept early Thursday morning, just hours after the earlier attack.
The pediatrician killed was identified as Dr. Idris Evans, 46, who was pronounced dead after first responders took him to a hospital.
According to a police report, Hemingway attacked the couple while in his underwear. Evans’ wife told police the attacker appeared “psychotic” and claimed to be “God” during the assault. As the couple fought back, she yelled for their children, ages 8 and 12, to get out of the house, the report states.
She also told investigators that her husband called the attacker “Elijah,” as though he recognized him, according to the police report. Allegheny County authorities told KDKA they could not confirm whether Evans and Hemingway had any prior relationship. Evans’ wife said she did not know the suspect and was unsure how he got into the home.
Suspect’s Account Contradicted
During the investigation, police said Hemingway offered an account of the night that did not match the evidence. He claimed Evans had invited him back to the house hours earlier and let him inside, according to the police report. Hemingway also accused Evans of attacking him with a knife and said he was stabbed in the back.
Authorities said they found no stab wound on Hemingway’s back and could not locate a bicycle he claimed to have used to reach the home.
Hemingway faces seven charges in Thursday’s attack, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, burglary and trespassing.
Court records show Hemingway has a criminal history dating back to 2016 and was released without bail in July on a February burglary case.
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