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A well-known anesthesiologist in Hawaii has been charged with second-degree attempted murder for allegedly attacking his wife during a hike on Oʻahu.
Witnesses have told the police what they saw during the attack, which involved hitting her head with a rock, trying to inject her with syringes, and her dramatic escape.
According to a legal document seen by PEOPLE, 46-year-old Gerhardt Konig attacked his 36-year-old wife, Arielle Konig, on the morning of March 24 while they were hiking the Pali Puka Trail near the Pali Lookout.
The assault reportedly happened after a disagreement about taking a selfie near the edge of the cliff.
Arielle reportedly told police she declined the photo because she felt unsafe near the drop. As she began walking away, Konig allegedly yelled at her to come back, then shoved her into the bushes and began attacking her.
She told police that Konig struck her in the head approximately 10 times with a rock, yanked her hair, and smashed her face into the ground. During the violent encounter, she said he pulled out two syringes from a bag and attempted to inject her. She managed to wrestle them away.
The affidavit states that Arielle screamed for help and crawled toward two hikers who were nearby.
One of them, according to the document, described seeing “a girl lying on her back in the grass with a man on top of her, hitting her on the head.” The witness said Konig had a rock in his hand and stopped only when he realized they were watching.
As the alleged attack unfolded, Arielle reportedly shouted at the hikers: “He is trying to kill me!”
Arielle then allegedly continued saying, “He is hitting me in the head with a rock.”
One of the witnesses called 911 while Konig reportedly ran up the trail. Arielle was taken to Queens Medical Center for serious head and facial injuries. She was initially in critical condition but later stabilized.
Authorities quickly started a manhunt, and Konig was caught later that day near Pali Highway after a short foot chase, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
Police confirmed that Konig is a practicing anesthesiologist with the Anesthesia Medical Group in Hawaii, serving multiple locations across Maui, including Maui Memorial Medical Center. In a statement, Maui Health confirmed to ABC News: “Dr. Konig is employed by an independent entity contracted to provide medical services at various medical facilities on Maui.
“Dr. Konig’s medical staff privileges at Maui Memorial Medical Center have been suspended pending investigation.”
At the time of the incident, Konig still had valid medical licenses in Hawaii. His license was issued in September 2022.
Both Konig and Arielle have connections to Pittsburgh. Konig was previously an attending anesthesiologist at a women’s hospital and an assistant professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh. A spokesperson for UPMC confirmed that Konig had not been affiliated with the institution for more than two years.
Arielle has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering from Penn State and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. According to her LinkedIn, she currently works as a project manager at TerraPower, a company focused on nuclear energy innovation.
The alleged attack has shocked many in Hawaii and beyond, bringing attention to domestic violence in high-achieving and respected households. Sanoe Kaaihue, executive director of Women Helping Women, told Hawaii News Now: “Both are prominent people in our community. Not just him, but also her. Highly intelligent, highly successful folks.”
“DV (domestic violence) does not discriminate,” she said. “It affects people from every walk of life. What you’re seeing now is an outward expression of what they’ve been experiencing within their household.”
Konig was arrested by the police on a charge of second-degree attempted murder. His bail has been set at $5 million.
The case is still under review by the prosecutor’s office.
