A Hawaii doctor accused of trying to kill his wife during a birthday hike on Oahu last year has been found guilty of attempted manslaughter.
Jurors in Honolulu County all agreed on the verdict after more than eight hours of deliberating, but they did not convict Dr. Gerhardt Konig of the more serious charge of second-degree attempted murder.
When the decision was announced, Konig reacted quietly, lowering his head and later covering his face as he sat down, while his attorney offered support beside him.
He could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years, with sentencing scheduled for August 13.
Until then, he will remain in custody at the O’ahu Community Correctional Center.
The verdict follows a trial that lasted about three weeks, where Konig and his wife, Arielle, shared very different versions of what happened on March 24, 2025, which was her birthday.
After the trial wrapped up, his lawyer said they plan to appeal the decision.
Defense attorney Thomas Otake was relieved that the jury did not convict the man of attempted murder, saying it could have meant a life sentence.
The jury’s foreperson, Makalapua Atkins, said the group worked well together.
In the end, they agreed on the lesser charge of manslaughter because they did not believe the evidence clearly proved an intent to kill.
Prosecutor Steve Alm described the outcome as a positive result and showed appreciation for the jury, Arielle Konig, the witnesses who stepped in to help her, and the investigators involved in the case.
During closing arguments, prosecutor Joel Garner said Gerhardt Konig had become fixated on his wife’s emotional relationship with a co-worker.
He argued that this led Konig to try to push her off a cliff on the Pali Puka Trail near Honolulu.
When that didn’t work, Garner said Konig then tried to use a syringe and hit her in the head with a rock.
He added that the situation only stopped when two hikers came across them, which forced everything to end.
Otake pushed back on that version of events, saying the case really came down to two very different stories without clear proof.
When he testified, Gerhardt Konig denied trying to injure his wife.
He said he was acting in self-defense and only hit her with a rock after she tried to push him off the trail first.
The incident happened about three months after Gerhardt Konig found out about his wife’s emotional affair.
Arielle Konig said they had been going to counseling and things seemed to be improving; she felt they were starting to repair the strain on their marriage.
