Hawaii doctor's ex-boss says anesthesiologists have means to kill as wife testifies about syringe attack

28 Mar 2026 By foxnews

An anesthesiologist accused of trying to kill his wife would have had the knowledge and access to do so, according to his former boss, who said it would be "not hard" for someone in the field to commit murder.

"Would it be hard for an anesthesiologist to commit murder? I would say no," Dr. Jonathan Waters said of his former mentee, Dr. Gerhardt Konig, in an interview on "Good Morning America." "The drugs that we have typically are intended to take you to the edge of death."

Waters, who supervised Konig, said he was stunned by the allegations.

"They had everything going for them. I truly don't understand what happened," he said.

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He described Konig as intelligent and said he never saw him lose his temper - a characterization that sharply contrasts with the violent allegations now at the center of the doctor's Maui trial.

"He was a smart guy… quite intelligent," Waters said. "I never saw Gerhardt have a temper or lose his temper."

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As Waters spoke publicly, jurors in Maui were shown disturbing police body camera footage this week capturing the aftermath of the alleged attack on the fourth day of trial.

The video shows Konig's wife, Arielle Konig, bloodied and stumbling out of a remote hiking trail on Oahu after two hikers called 911, reporting they heard her screaming for help.

The hikers stayed with her, helping her to the ground and trying to keep her conscious as blood ran down her face.

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Honolulu Police Officer Kevin Chun testified that she appeared exhausted, short of breath and confused when he arrived.

Prosecutors allege Gerhardt Konig attacked his wife during the hike after discovering she was allegedly having an emotional affair.

They say he tried to push her off a cliff, then attempted to inject her with a syringe before repeatedly striking her in the head with a rock.

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Jurors were also shown photos of the scene, including blood on leaves, branches and the ground near a cliff edge, along with a rock believed to have been used in the attack.

Authorities say Konig fled after hikers intervened.

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Police later spotted him with what appeared to be blood on his shirt, triggering a chase before officers took him into custody after he resisted arrest.

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Investigators also recovered a backpack, cellphone and a second bag allegedly containing medical supplies tied to the defendant.

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His defense team claims Arielle Konig was the aggressor and that he struck her with a rock in self-defense.

Gerhardt Konig has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.