Suspect arrested for stabbing Pittsburgh child doctor to death was released without bail in July after burglary charge

The suspect accused of killing a Pittsburg-area doctor during a home invasion was released from jail just months after being arrested in connection with an alleged burglary at the home of his former partner.

Elijah Hemingway was arrested for the murder of 46-year-old Dr. Idris Evans after entering the home through an open window and attacking Evans and his wife in their bedroom with a kitchen knife. Evans’ wife told police that the suspect was wearing only underwear and spoke about “being God” during the attack. She also told investigators that her husband appeared to recognize the attacker and called him by his first name.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, Hemingway had already been facing burglary charges and theft charges when the fatal attack occurred. He was accused of breaking into the home of a former partner in February while she was taking her child to daycare.

Police allege that Hemingway stole a laptop and two phones during the February break-in. He was charged with burglary and theft by unlawful taking but was not arrested until July 9. He was released the very next day while the case continued.

Hemingway is also facing additional charges stemming from a sexual assault that he committed one day before Evans was killed. As the Allegheny County police conducted their investigation into the stabbing, police from another county contacted them about the assault. Detectives found items in the investigation connecting Hemingway to the crime, including the victim’s phone. He has now been charged with rape, sexual assault, and robbery.

Hemingway was also accused last year in Florida of attacking three sheriff’s deputies after causing a public disturbance. In another case in Florida, he was accused of attacking an ex-girlfriend, punching her and grabbing her by the neck.

Evans was a respected member of the Pittsburgh medical community. He served as the director of the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Team at UPMC Children's Hospital. He was also an assistant professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“Dr. Evans was a dedicated caregiver and valued member of our hospital and university communities,” UPMC said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and colleagues during this difficult time. We ask that their privacy be respected.”