Hawaii Doctor Convicted in Wife's Birthday Hike Attack

A Honolulu jury convicted Dr. Gerhardt Konig, 47, of attempted manslaughter on April 8, 2026, following a three-week trial centered on a violent incident on a cliffside hiking trail in Oahu on March 24, 2025 - his wife Arielle Konig’s birthday. The jury deliberated for more than eight hours before returning the unanimous verdict, according to ABC News and CNN. Konig, an anesthesiologist who practiced on Maui, had pleaded not guilty to the original charge of second-degree attempted murder.

The jury convicted him instead on the lesser charge of attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance - a finding under Hawaii law that acknowledges the elements of a more serious offense while crediting a mental or emotional state that reduced culpability. Konig faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2026. His defense attorney said the team plans to appeal.

Two Accounts of What Happened

Both Gerhardt and Arielle Konig testified at trial. Their accounts differed sharply. Arielle Konig told jurors that her husband had pushed her toward the edge of a cliff on the Pali Puka Trail, pinned her to the ground, produced a syringe, and struck her repeatedly with a rock - which she believed was an attempt to render her unconscious before pushing her over the edge, according to ABC News. Two hikers came upon the scene and interrupted the attack. Gerhardt Konig fled and was arrested hours later following a manhunt.

Gerhardt Konig denied the attack was premeditated. He testified that his wife struck him first with a rock and that he responded in self-defense. He denied having a syringe on the trail, and his attorney argued no syringe was recovered at the scene. The defense characterized the case as a “he said, she said” dispute between two people in a troubled marriage. Arielle Konig had acknowledged a prior “emotional affair” involving messages with a coworker, which Gerhardt Konig’s attorney described as the source of extreme emotional distress.

The Testimony That Shifted the Case

A significant moment at trial came from Emile Konig, 19, the defendant’s son from a prior marriage. Emile testified that his father called him via FaceTime minutes after the incident on the trail and admitted he had tried to kill his wife, according to ABC News and CBS News. When Emile asked about stains on his father’s shirt, Gerhardt replied, “Oh, it’s just her blood,” according to testimony. Gerhardt Konig disputed this account on the stand, insisting he had said, “She said I tried to kill her.” The jury credited the son’s version.

Prosecuting attorney Steve Alm said after the verdict: “A good day for the good guys.” Deputy prosecutor Joel Garner argued that the only reason the attack ended was because the two hikers arrived and Konig was “caught red-handed,” according to ABC News.

Charges, Conviction, and What Comes Next

Under the terms of the conviction, Konig will be held at the Oahu Community Correctional Center until his August sentencing. His hospital privileges at Maui Memorial Medical Center were suspended following his arrest. Arielle Konig filed for divorce in May 2025 and has full custody of the couple’s two young children, according to reporting cited by ABC News.

The defendant has not yet been sentenced. His attorney confirmed the defense intends to appeal, citing objections to several of the judge’s rulings during the trial. The case drew sustained national attention following Court TV’s livestream of the proceedings. A case management hearing will precede the August 13 sentencing date.

References: Gerhardt Konig: Hawaii doctor accused of trying to kill his wife convicted of attempted manslaughter | Doctor accused of trying to kill wife on hike found guilty of attempted manslaughter