HONOLULU, Hawaii — A former University of Pittsburgh professor and UPMC doctor was arrested after police said he tried to kill his wife along a hiking trail in Hawaii.
Gerhardt Konig, 46, who lives in Maui now, was arrested Monday afternoon after Honolulu Police said that he attempted to push his wife off of a hiking trail and hit her in the head with a rock.
His wife was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
He was arrested near Pali Highway after a brief foot chase. He’s facing a charge of attempted second-degree murder, according to a police document obtained by Channel 11.
Gerhardt is a former assistant professor of anesthesiology and bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh and a UPMC anesthesiologist, according to a biography that was previously listed on Pitt’s website.
According to a spokesperson for UPMC, Gerhardt has not worked for the medical company for over two years.
A former neighbor identified Gerhardt’s wife as Arielle.
“I hope that she can get the justice that she deserves because she is an angel of a human. And I will never forget the kindness she showed me,” Gina Perriolo told Channel 11. “It’s unimaginable that someone who supposedly loved her and had two babies.... I don’t know how anybody could be capable of harming someone who they love, the mother of their children.”
Before moving to Hawaii, the Konigs lived in Mount Lebanon while Gerhardt was working at Pitt and UPMC.
When Perriolo moved a few doors down, Arielle was one of the first to welcome her.
“She was so warm and welcoming, and I was starting over. And she was so kind to offer me things, furniture, lamps,” she said.
When the Konigs moved, the two kept in touch and were texting a few months ago.
“I asked her, ‘How is Hawaii?’ And she said, ‘It’s amazing, and we are so happy.’”
Now — Arielle is fighting for her life, and Gerhardt is in jail.
“I’m thinking about her kids. What are they going to be faced with? What are they going to think of their dad? I’m just so sad this happened,” Perriolo said.
According to the Star Advertiser in Hawaii, Arielle was able to communicate with EMTs that she was punched, and hit in the head with a rock.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
