A Hawaii physician accused of making an attempt to kill his spouse on a climbing path final 12 months has been discovered responsible of tried manslaughter following a number of hours of deliberations over two days within the high-profile trial.
Dr. Gerhardt Konig, 47, pleaded not responsible to second-degree tried homicide prices within the case. The jury convicted him of a lesser cost — tried manslaughter based mostly upon excessive psychological or emotional disturbance.
Through the trial, prosecutors alleged the anesthesiologist attacked his spouse, Arielle Konig, close to a cliff whereas on the Pali Puka Path on Oahu for her birthday on March 24, 2025, by pushing her close to the sting after which beating her a number of occasions with a rock.
The protection, in the meantime, alleged that Arielle Konig attacked her husband first and that he hit her with the rock in self-defense — characterizing it as a case of “he stated, she stated.”
Sentencing within the case is ready for Aug. 13. Konig faces a most of 20 years. He’ll proceed to be held till sentencing, the Honolulu prosecutor’s workplace stated.
Gerhardt Konig listens throughout closing arguments in his tried homicide trial in Honolulu, April 7, 2026.
Mengshin Lin/AP
The jury started deliberations Tuesday afternoon, following almost three weeks of testimony within the Honolulu trial.
The jurors had been instructed to think about the tried manslaughter cost and numerous assault prices in the event that they had been unable to search out Konig responsible of second-degree tried homicide.
Each Gerhardt Konig and his spouse took the stand in the course of the trial, presenting extensively differing accounts of what occurred on the hike.
Arielle Konig testified that the 2 had traveled to Oahu from their house in Maui to have a good time her birthday. She stated they’d been engaged on repairing their marriage after her husband discovered what she characterised as “flirty” WhatsApp messages between her and a colleague in December 2024 in what she stated was an “emotional affair.”
She testified that in the course of the hike, her husband pushed her towards the sting of the cliff. As they wrestled on the bottom with him on high, pinning her down, he produced a syringe and vial, she stated.
Arielle Konig testifies throughout her husband’s tried homicide trial in Honolulu, March 24, 2026.
Pool through ABC Information
Arielle Konig additional testified that her husband proceeded to beat her with a rock as many as 10 occasions, and that she believed he was making an attempt to knock her unconscious in an effort to drag her over the sting of the cliff.
She recalled screaming, “Please assist, he is making an attempt to kill me,” and that when two ladies occurred upon them, her husband “froze” and he or she was capable of then crawl away.
Whereas testifying in his personal protection over two days, Gerhardt Konig maintained that he by no means supposed to harm his spouse and acted in self-defense when he struck her with the rock.
He advised the court docket that his spouse pushed him close to the sting after they acquired into an argument about her affair, and that she hit him with a rock first whereas they struggled on the bottom. He admitted to hitting her with the rock whereas on high of her, saying he struck her twice, although he denied having any syringes or making an attempt to drag her towards the cliff’s edge.
Gerhardt Konig testified that he felt suicidal after the incident.
“I simply felt hopeless at that time by way of the whole lot,” he stated. “I felt horrified about what I did to her, that I had brought on this to her, that I had resorted to violence in opposition to my spouse, the one that I really like essentially the most on this planet. And I simply form of felt hopeless by way of our relationship, too.”
Gerhardt Konig testifies throughout his tried homicide trial in Honolulu, April 2, 2026.
Pool through ABC Information
Throughout closing arguments, prosecutor Joel Garner stated Arielle Konig’s “easy” and “coherent” testimony was corroborated by the bloody proof on the scene, the “severity” of her accidents, digital proof and the testimony of different witnesses — together with the 2 ladies who came across the couple.
Garner alleged that Gerhardt Konig got here up with a plan to kill his spouse on the difficult Pali Puka Path to keep away from a expensive divorce and known as the defendant’s testimony, together with his self-defense claims, “unbelievable.”
The prosecutor additionally pointed to testimony from Gerhardt Konig’s older son from his prior marriage, who advised the court docket that his father admitted to making an attempt to kill his spouse.
Requested by the prosecutor to recount what his father stated in the course of the FaceTime name, Emile Konig testified, “That he wouldn’t be making it again to Maui and to take excellent care of the youthful children, and that Ari, my stepmom, had been dishonest on him, and that he tried to kill her.”
Deputy Prosecutor Joel Garner holds a rock as proof whereas presenting closing arguments in the course of the tried homicide trial of Gerhardt Konig in a courtroom, April 7, 2026, in Honolulu.
Mengshin Lin/AP
Throughout his closing argument, protection legal professional Thomas Otake stated there may be “affordable doubt throughout this case.”
He disputed the alleged plan outlined by the prosecutor, saying Gerhardt Konig by no means supposed to hurt his spouse. He additionally questioned Arielle Konig’s testimony, calling her “misleading” whereas pointing to her deleting messages along with her colleague.
Otake argued that the decision between Gerhardt Konig and his son was between “extremely emotional” folks, and that Emile Konig couldn’t say precisely phrase for phrase what was stated.
Gerhardt Konig was arrested following an hourslong manhunt, prosecutors stated.
Arielle Konig testified she was handled at a hospital for “extreme advanced scalp lacerations” and confirmed the court docket scarring on her scalp.
She filed for divorce in Could 2025, searching for full custody of the couple’s two younger youngsters.
Gerhardt Konig, who labored as an anesthesiologist on Maui, has been in jail since his arrest. Following his arrest, Maui Well being stated his medical employees privileges at Maui Memorial Medical Middle have been suspended pending investigation.
