A California man accused of butchering his longtime girlfriend with a steak knife while vacationing in Hawaii has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars.

Richard Lopez, 67, of San Pedro, repeatedly stabbed his 64-year-old girlfriend of 17 years while staying at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort in September of 2022.

On March 14, Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen announced that Lopez, who has been incarcerated on the paradise island throughout the legal proceedings, has been sentenced to a 20-year prison term for the offense of attempted manslaughter.

‘The court further ordered that Lopez also serve a mandatory minimum of six years and eight months,’ the statement from the County of Hawai’i Office of the Prosecuting Attorney said.

On the night of September 1, 2022, the Hawaii Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing within a guest room at the resort.

When authorities arrived, they discovered a woman suffering from ‘numerous life threatening injuries,’ including slashes to her face and neck from a steak knife, according to Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

Both Lopez and his girlfriend were transported to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment, as officers also observed visible injuries on him.

Once taken into custody, Lopez was held on a $1 million bail, despite the defense’s request to reduce it to $500,000 and the prosecution’s argument that he should remain without bail until trial.

Richard Lopez, 67, of San Pedro, California, was officially sentenced to 20-years behind bars for butchering his longtime girlfriend with a steak knife while vacationing in Hawaii in 2022

On the night of September 1, 2022, the Hawaii Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing within a guest room at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort where they found a woman suffering from ‘numerous life threatening injuries,’ including slashes to her face and neck from a steak knife

Both Lopez and his girlfriend were transported to North Hawaii Community Hospital for treatment, as officers also observed visible injuries on him

Lopez plead not guilty to charges of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and abuse of a family or household member, leading to his trial being subsequently scheduled for February 2023.

On December 27, 2024, Lopez appeared in the Kona Circuit Court and claimed the defense of attempted manslaughter after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.

Second-degree attempted murder in the state carries a potential life imprisonment sentence, however, the possibility of parole remains an option. 

From there, the minimum length of jail time is determined by the Hawaii Paroling Authority, according to Hawaii Herald.

During the trial, Lopez told the court that at the time of the stabbing, he was ‘under the influence of extreme mental and emotional disturbance,’ according to the prosecuting attorney’s statement. The court ultimately accepted his submission.  

Prosecutors planned to pursue a heightened sentencing following Lopez’s trial, arguing that because the victim was over the age of 60, he should be required to serve at least 15 years behind bars before becoming eligible for release.

Earlier this month, Lopez appeared back in court for sentencing, where he was handed a 20-year jail term, with nearly seven of those years requiring to be served.

The motive for the brutal stabbing remains unclear, as does the current condition of the victim.

Suites at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort can range from $1,225 to more than $3,000 a night, depending on the type of room, the season and the demand, according to the website.

Less than two years after the incident at the pristine resort, a father fatally stabbed his wife and three children before taking his own life at their family home in Hawaii.

Once taken into custody, Lopez was held on a $1 million bail, despite the defense’s request to reduce it to $500,000 and the prosecution’s argument that he should remain without bail until trial

During the trial, Lopez told the court that at the time of the stabbing, he was ‘under the influence of extreme mental and emotional disturbance,’ according to the prosecuting attorney’s statement. The court ultimately accepted his submission

Suites at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort can range from $1,225 to more than $3,000 a night, depending on the type of room, the season and the demand

Honolulu police found a knife after gaining access to the home in Manoa, a quiet residential neighborhood of Honolulu. 

The five bodies, including that of the suspect and his kids aged 17, 12 and 10, were found inside, but police would not reveal where. 

The mass killing was the second deadliest murder in Honolulu in almost 25 years. 

Police said they received an anonymous call about a disturbance at that home on Waaloa Place early that morning, but nobody opened the door to police officers when they arrived. 

Officers returned to the home shortly after, where the discovery of the five deaths was made.

HPD Chief Joe Loga said the murders did not appear to be a random act, suspecting it to be a murder-suicide scenario.