Man sentenced for stabbing girlfriend in Hawaii hotel

Richard Lopez, a 67-year-old man from San Pedro, California, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing his girlfriend at a Hawaii hotel. The violent incident took place in September 2022 while they were staying at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort. Lopez stabbed his girlfriend, who is 64 years old, multiple times during an altercation in their hotel room. When police arrived, they found the woman with serious injuries and also noticed that Lopez had visible wounds. Both were taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment. Initially, Lopez pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder and related offenses. However, in December 2024, he changed his plea to guilty for attempted manslaughter. This led to his recent sentencing, which includes a mandatory minimum of nearly seven years. During the trial, Lopez claimed that he was suffering from severe emotional distress at the time of the attack. The motive for the stabbing remains unclear, and the condition of the victim is not known at this time.