Gerhardt Konig, 46, was indicted on Friday (March 28) on a charge of second-degree attempted murder after authorities said he tried to kill his wife during a hike near the Pali Lookout in Oahu, which towers 1,200 feet above the ground.
According to PEOPLE, Arielle Konig, 36, claims her husband became enraged after she refused to take a selfie near the cliff’s edge, stating she felt unsafe.
In a temporary restraining order filed after the attack, she wrote: “When I got close to Gerhardt, Gerhardt grabbed me by my upper arms and started pushing me back towards the cliff edge.
“He was yelling something to the effect of, ‘Get back over there, l’m so f**king sick of you!’ and continued to push me. If I had fallen off the cliff, I would have likely died,” she added, cited by CNN.
Per the affidavit, the anesthesiologist allegedly shoved his wife into nearby bushes, grabbed a rock, and “struck her on the head approximately 10 times while also grabbing the back of her hair and smashing her face into the ground”.
Arielle told cops he allegedly then tried to inject her with a syringe, and as she fought him off, she managed to toss one vial away while he searched for another.
She began crawling away, screaming for help, when two hikers encountered the scene. One of them, identified as Amanda, told police she heard screams and saw a man on top of a woman, hitting her in the head.
Amanda said the woman cried: “He is trying to kill me. He is hitting me in the head with a rock.” The second hiker, identified only as “Sarah,” called 911.
Paramedics transported Arielle, who was in serious but stable condition, to the hospital with head and facial injuries, officials said.
The brutal attack was followed by a haunting confession. Arielle later learned, as noted in her restraining order, that Konig had FaceTimed his adult son from a previous relationship soon after fleeing the scene.
Covered in blood, he allegedly said: “I just tried to kill Ari, but she got away.” He then reportedly told his son he planned to jump off a cliff to take his own life.
Authorities launched a manhunt and arrested the doctor more than seven hours later after a brief foot chase near Pali Highway.
His Hawaii medical license, issued in 2022, remained in good standing as of Monday, but Maui Memorial Medical Center has since suspended his privileges pending investigation.
“This indictment reflects the serious nature of crime that is alleged this case,” Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said in a statement. “Domestic abuse cannot be tolerated. Our office is committed to ensuring that justice is served for the victim and that the defendant is held accountable.”
The alleged attack came after months of what Arielle described as escalating control and “extreme jealousy” following accusations of infidelity, per her petition. She also filed for protection for herself, their two young children, and other family members.
A verified GoFundMe was launched by a friend to support Arielle and her children in the aftermath of the attack.
“This is devastating. No one ever thought this would happen, let alone to such a wonderful person,” the fundraiser read. “Let’s do all we can to help her thru this difficult time. All funds will go directly to Arielle for her and her children.”
As of the time of writing, $3,814 has been raised of the $15K target.
