Anesthesiologist accused of trying to toss his wife off 'must-visit' Hawaiian cliff, charged with attempted murder

An anesthesiologist is accused of attempting to kill his wife by trying to throw her off a picturesque cliff in Hawaii, according to reports.

Dr. Gerhardt Konig — a 46-year-old anesthesiologist from Maui — was charged Wednesday with second-degree attempted murder of his wife.

'Arielle expressed that she did not feel comfortable taking a picture with him that close to the edge, so she declined and began to walk back.'

The doctor and 36-year-old wife — Arielle Konig — had been married since 2018 but had been struggling with their relationship for the last few months, KITV-TV reported.

She claimed her husband accused her of cheating on him in December.

The New York Post reported that the pair had been "participating in both couples and individual therapy and counseling" in an attempt to salvage their marriage.

Therapy reportedly helped the couple's relationship, and Gerhardt allegedly planned a weekend getaway to Oahu to celebrate Arielle's 36th birthday.

The couple arrived in Maui on March 23, according to court filings.

The next day, Arielle said her husband suggested that they hike a trail near the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout.

"This breathtaking viewpoint, perched 1,200 feet above sea level, offers sweeping views of the lush Windward Coast, the turquoise waters of Kāne‘ohe Bay, and the picturesque town of Kailua," according to Hawaii.com. "It’s one of the most stunning scenic stops on O‘ahu and a must-visit destination for both first-time visitors and locals alike."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, "Ms. Konig, in her court filing, noted the topography of the trail: 'narrow ridge sections with steep drop-offs on both sides.' She said she became uneasy and told her husband she didn’t want to go any farther."

Arielle told police that her husband wanted to take a photo with her at the edge of the cliff. However, she allegedly was uncomfortable with the idea, and she moved away from the cliff.

"She mentioned that while on the trail, Gerhardt was standing close to the edge and asked her to take a selfie with him,” an officer with the Honolulu Police Department said. "Arielle expressed that she did not feel comfortable taking a picture with him that close to the edge, so she declined and began to walk back."

Arielle allegedly said of her husband, "He was yelling something to the effect of, ‘Get back over there, I’m so [expletive] sick of you,’ and continued to push me."

The wife told investigators that at first she thought her husband was joking but then “quickly realized he was seriously trying to make me fall off the cliff.”

Arielle claimed that she threw herself to the ground and away from the edge of the cliff — but then Konig allegedly climbed on top of her.

Arielle — a renowned nuclear engineer — alleged that she told her husband to think about their children, ages 2 and 5.

According to court documents, Arielle said her husband grabbed a bag and pulled out two syringes then tried to inject her.

“I do not know what was in the syringe, but Gerhardt is an anesthesiologist and has access to several potentially lethal medications as part of his employment,” Arielle said.

Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for Dr. Konig and shut down the trails during a multi-hour manhunt.

Gerhardt also was accused of grabbing a rock and bashing Arielle in the head. He allegedly tried to push her off the trail and then punched her.

The alleged assault is said to have ended only because two women on the trail heard the commotion.

The first woman — identified only as "Amanda" — told police she started walking up the trail around 10:30 a.m. and 10 minutes later allegedly heard a female screaming: "Help! Help me!"

According to the court affidavit, the woman alleged that she saw Arielle on her back "with a man on top of her hitting her on the head."

The hikers recalled Arielle shouting, "He is trying to kill me! He is hitting me in the head with a rock!"

Amanda claimed that Arielle's attacker stopped assaulting her once he realized he was being watched.

The hikers reportedly yelled that they were calling 911, and the assailant fled the crime scene.

According to the court filing, Arielle also claimed to have learned that her husband had called one of his adult children from a previous marriage on FaceTime.

Arielle alleged in the court filing that Konig told his child, "I just tried to kill Ari, but she got away."

The wife said her husband was covered in blood, and Arielle allegedly needed assistance from the hikers to go down the trail.

She was transported to the Queen’s Medical Center in critical condition with multiple facial and head injuries.

Police immediately issued an all-points bulletin for Dr. Konig and shut down the trails during a multi-hour manhunt.

Gerhardt was found and arrested around 6 p.m., police said.

Konig is being detained at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

His bail initially was set at $5 million. However, Arielle wrote to the judge that she is afraid for herself, her children, and the rest of her family if her husband is released, and the judge on Friday ordered him to be held without bail.

Arielle on Thursday filed a restraining order against her husband. She told the court that Gerhardt had become prone to “extreme jealousy” and “has attempted to control and monitor all of my communications.”

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