Hawaii anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig has been convicted of attempted murder after he was accused of trying to kill his wife, Arielle Konig, during a 2025 hike.
A Honolulu jury deliberated for one day before they returned the verdict against Gerhardt, 47, on Wednesday, April 8. Gerhardt was convicted of attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance, which means he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Gerhardt’s sentencing hearing is scheduled to take place on August 13.
After the verdict was revealed, Gerhardt’s attorney, Thomas Otake, said he planned to appeal. However, Otake also said that the defense respected the jury’s decision.
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“We are thankful that they did not convict him of attempted murder, which would have been life in prison,” Otake said, according to the Associated Press. “We look forward to an appeal related to some of the judge’s rulings throughout the case.”
Prosecutors said that Gerhardt attempted to kill Arielle during a weekend trip to Honolulu to celebrate her birthday in March 2025, which took place after he learned that she had an inappropriate relationship with a coworker.
Gerhardt — who pleaded not guilty — allegedly tried to push her off a cliff and stab her with a syringe before he struck her with a rock. The attack eventually stopped when two hikers heard Arielle screaming.
Both Gerhardt and Arielle testified about their accounts of the attack, with the doctor claiming that Arielle hit him with the rock first. He claimed that he only hit her in self-defense.
During the defense’s closing arguments, Gerhardt’s lawyers attempted to cast doubt on Arielle’s version of events.
Gerhardt’s son also testified during the trial, telling the court room that his father video called him and confessed to the attack just minutes after it happened.
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After the prosecutor asked Emile Konig what his father said on the call, he responded, “That he would not be making it back to Maui and to take good care of the younger kids and that he had — that Ari, my stepmom, had been cheating on him and that he tried to kill her.”
“I asked what was on his shirt, ’cause it looked like I saw splatters of something on his shirt, and he said, ‘Oh, it’s just her,’ meaning Ari’s, blood,” Emile added.
Following the verdict, jury foreperson Makalapua Atkins said deliberations focused on what was discussed during the trial. The jurors examined the testimony of those who were at the scene, as well as discussed the similarities and inconsistencies in their stories.
“At the end of the day when it comes down to it, she was hit in the head. And a head injury can be serious. And that’s a very deadly part of the body,” Atkins told reporters, per the Associated Press.
Jurors ultimately believed that Arielle’s relationship with her coworker was sufficient to cause “an emotional disturbance,” which Atkins said impacted the verdict.
