California man gets 20 years for stabbing his girlfriend with steak knife at Waikōloa resort

A 67-year-old California man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for stabbing his 64-year-old girlfriend of 17 years multiple times with a steak knife nearly 3 years ago at a Big Island resort.

Richard Lopez, who was detained on the Big Island in lieu of a $1 million bail for the duration of the criminal proceedings, was sentenced March 14 in Kona Circuit Court.

He and his girlfiend were visiting the island and staying at the Waikōloa Beach Marriot Resort on Sept. 1, 2022, when he stabbed her.

The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Hawai‘i County reports Lopez was sentenced for attempted manslaughter, a Class A felony which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, after the court reviewed a presentence investigation report and heard arguments by all parties. 

He must serve a mandatory minimum sentence of 6 years and 8 months behind bars.

Lopez appeared Dec. 27, 2024, in Kona Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted manslaughter, at which time the court accepted his submission that he was under extreme mental or emotional disturbance at the time of the stabbing.

The stabbing investigation was initiated by Hawai‘i Police Department South Kohala Patrol, with the felony investigation handled by detectives Scott A. Dewey and Brandon Mansur with the department’s Area II Juvenile Aid Section along with members of the Area II Criminal Investigation Section.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorneys Kaua Jackson and Kate Perazich.