Doctor accused of trying to kill wife on hike found guilty of attempted manslaughter
Jurors delivered their verdict Wednesday in the trial of an anesthesiologist accused of trying to kill his wife during a cliffside hike in Hawaii.
Updated on: April 8, 2026 / 10:05 PM EDT / CBS News
An anesthesiologist accused of trying to kill his wife during a cliffside hike last year in Hawaii was found guilty of the lesser charge of attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance by a jury in Honolulu on Wednesday.
Gerhardt Konig, 47, was convicted after a three-week trial in which both he and his wife testified. Konig sat down slowly and put a hand over his face after the verdict was read.
The Maui-based doctor had pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murder after his arrest and indictment last year on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. His charge stemmed from a March 2025 incident in which prosecutors said Konig assaulted his wife, Arielle Konig, as they walked along a scenic hiking trail in Honolulu. His conviction Wednesday was on a lesser charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
"We respect the verdict. We respect that the jury did their job, considered the evidence, and came to a verdict that they thought fit the evidence and fit the burden of proof in this case, so, that's all I can say about that," prosecutor Joel Garner said when asked if he was disappointed Gerhardt Konig wasn't convicted of the more serious attempted murder charge.
Gerhardt Konig's defense attorney, Thomas Otake, told reporters outside the courtroom that he plans on appealing, saying he believes there were "many appellate issues" both during and before the trial concerning "some of the judge's rulings throughout the case."