Former UPMC doctor arrested after trying to push wife off Hawaii hiking trail, police say

CBS News ^ | March 25, 2025 | Madeline Bartos, Shelley Bortz

[nickcarraway]

A former UPMC doctor and assistant professor at Pitt was arrested after police in Hawaii said he tried to push his wife off a hiking trail and hit her in the head with a rock.

Honolulu police said they arrested Gerhardt Konig after a short chase on foot near Pali Highway on Monday evening. Earlier in the day, police put out a poster with Konig's photo, saying he was wanted for attempted murder at Pali Lookout.

Police said Konig was on Oahu with his wife Monday morning when he tried to push her off a trail and used a rock to hit her in the head. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition, police said, and was able to tell officers it was her 46-year-old husband who attacked her and left her for dead.

In an update Monday evening, Honolulu police said Konig was taken into custody and charges are pending.

The Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout is perched over a thousand feet above the Oahu coastline, offering panoramic views of the Koʻolau cliffs and Windward Coast, according to gohawaii.com.

Konig was a doctor with the Anesthesia Medical Group and has since been suspended pending investigation, CBS affiliate KGMB reported. He was employed by an independent contract and provided medical services to facilities on Maui, the TV station reported.

Before that, the doctor was an anesthesiologist at UPMC and an assistant professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering at Pitt. UPMC said it hasn't employed Konig for more than two years.

KDKA-TV talked to former neighbors and friends who said Konig worked at UPMC until he moved his wife and two small children to Maui to take his dream job.

Ben Brown lived next door to the Konigs in Mt. Lebanon for several years. While he wasn't particularly close with the couple, he says they were friendly and considered them good neighbors. He said he was surprised by the news.

[Tax-chick]

People are crazy.

[Az Joe]

Maybe wifey attacked him first, that’s what I would say.

[hal ogen]

Sounds like a rocky marriage to me!

[Rockingham]

Another example of the wisdom of having an iron clad prenup.

[SamAdams76]

More common than you might think. Don't go on a remote hiking, fishing, or hunting trip with your spouse unless you are in a good marriage.

This advice goes beyond matrimony.

Many wills were settled with deer hunting for instance. Somehow or other, the older sibling accidently took a shot to the head. Tragic! If only he wasn't wearing a brown jacket.

[DeplorablePaul]

Why didn’t he throw her off the cliff? Obviously an accidental fall would have been his alibi. I maintain that it wasn’t planned.

[dennisw]

Local media reported that Arielle suffered severe head and facial injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Konig, an anesthesiologist, was arrested following a brief chase on foot. Authorities said that he was located near the hiking trail after trying to flee the scene.

"HPD officers located Gerhardt Konig near Pali Highway and arrested him after a brief foot pursuit. Charges are pending. Mahalo to the public for your assistance," Honolulu police said in a statement.

Arielle Konig LinkedIn

The couple lives in a $1.5 million home in Maui but were visiting a scenic location in Oahu when the alleged incident took place.

They have been married since 2018. Konig was previously married and is known to have at least one child.

Even Not Clean in His Own Profession

Hawaii's Division of State Parks announced that Pali Lookout remained closed for the rest of Monday following the shocking incident.

[TheThirdRuffian]

He was carrying syringes with anesthesia.

Just what I’d want on a hike.

[TheThirdRuffian]

” I maintain that it wasn’t planned.”

So why’d he go hiking with two syringes of drugs?

[Cowgirl of Justice]

My best friend was pushed off of a bridge by her husband. He went down after and found she was still alive and used a rock to repeatedly bash her head in, killing her. He said she hit her head on a rock and died when she accidentally fell but the autopsy showed she was pushed off of the bridge intentionally and was bashed in the head four times.

Think whatever you want.

[DeplorablePaul]

Where are you getting all these facts from? The story I read had almost nothing.

[dennisw]

If you want to off a spouse, go on vacation to a 3rd world nation and improvise a drowning accident.

[JusPasenThru]

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Thank goodness she survived.

Send this guy to a El Salvadoran prison .

Or create a document that he admits to having evidence that implicates Hillary Clinton in crimes that would send her to prison.
Take your pick.

[Fireone]

Meanwhile, I suppose his 24 year old girlfriend was left to fend for herself on his yacht. Luckily, she’ll have no trouble finding a new captain. Just my guess.

[TheThirdRuffian]

The article where I found the picture. I believe it was a Hawaiian news article.

[DesertRhino]

Well played… Well played

[webheart]

Uhhh it wa my huban poos my and unngg him me wif rock unnhhh he 46 years old urk

[webheart]

I’ve been on some treacherous trails and cliffs with my wife and I think it’s much nicer that we love each other because otherwise there’s no way to enjoy the scenery.

[DeplorablePaul]

Wow. I can see why you would be sensitive to these kind of stories. My excuse is that I watch too many crime shows.