In Honolulu, a doctor accused of trying to murder his wife on a hiking trail has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder. The doctor, Gerhardt Konig, allegedly assaulted his wife during a hike last month, according to her petition for a temporary restraining order, in which she claimed that Konig grabbed her, pushed her towards a cliff, attempted to inject her with a syringe, and struck her with a rock.
Konig has been in custody without the possibility of bail since his indictment on March 28. His defense attorney, Thomas Otake, told the court that he would file a motion requesting bail since Konig has no previous criminal record. During a brief court appearance via video from the Oahu Community Correctional Center, Otake emphasized Konig’s plea of not guilty as a significant response to the allegations, pointing out that only one side of the story has been publicly shared so far.
If convicted, Konig risks a life sentence. The incident occurred during a trip to Oahu in celebration of his wife’s birthday, while their two young sons remained on Maui under the care of a nanny and other family members. Following the incident, a judge issued an order restricting Konig from contacting his wife and children.
The wife’s petition mentioned previous tension, including Konig’s accusation of her infidelity last December, which led them to undergo therapy and counseling. She also claimed past sexual abuse and assault by her husband. On March 24, Konig suggested the couple go on a hike on the Pali Puka trail in Honolulu, which is closed for safety reasons due to treacherous narrow ridges and significant drop-offs, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Feeling unsafe on the trail, the wife insisted she wanted to stop, but Konig went ahead and later returned, allegedly becoming aggressive. During the altercation, he purportedly tried to inject her with an unknown substance from a syringe—considered potentially lethal due to his access as an anesthesiologist. To defend herself, she claimed she bit him and that he subsequently attacked her with a rock.
Witnesses on the trail, two women, intervened by calling emergency services, while Konig left in a different direction. His wife received medical attention at a hospital, and Konig was arrested that evening. Maui Health, where Konig works as an anesthesiologist, has suspended him during the investigation. Although affiliated with Kaiser Permanente, he is employed by an independent contractor for medical services, with Kaiser confirming a suspension of his credentials pending the outcome of the investigation.
The case highlights issues of domestic violence, and readers experiencing or witnessing such situations are urged to seek help through the national domestic violence hotline available in the United States at 1-800-799-7233.