Toni Bertolet Henthorns life was a masterpiece and role model to those who were fortunate to be a part of her life. Dateline airs Friday nights at 9 PM on NBC. (The detective would later testify to this in court.) Yet Toni remained silent. Three years later we are still heavy laden with the emotional shock of her death.Toni was a special child, a precious gift to us from God. Had they checked, they would have found that Harold actually received twice that much. That saying served him well working sex crimes for most of a decade. This is an adapted chapter from Caleb Hannans new Kindle Single The Accidents; read the full story here. Harold Henthorn with Sandra Lynn, his first wife. ", VIDEO:Watch the CBS4 special "Inside The Investigation: Harold Henthorn. Bob Bertolet, Tonis father, and Todd Bertolet, her younger brother, read the following victim impact statements at Harolds sentencing. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. The Defendants phony status and perception took priority over his family, and he chose family and friends based solely on his ability to deceive the same. On May 6, 1995, Harold and Lynndecided to go on a long drive along a highway in Sedalia, Colorado. In December, Toni Bertolet's husband, Harold Henthorn, received a mandatory life sentence for her death. Toni Bertolet Henthorn died after she was pushed off a cliff during an anniversary hike in Rock Mountain National Park. In 1995, long before Weaver ever stepped foot in Douglas County, a woman died on the side of a dark road on a cold night. var sc_invisible=0; The family had enough money. It would have been, except that Toni plunged down a 50-foot cliff to her death. The Harold Henthorn-Toni Henthorn murder case will be aired on the latest episode of 48 Hours. Harold Henthorn, and his wife Toni. / CBS Colorado. Every morning, she wakes up asking herself, "Did it really happen? The preparation of the Victim Statements by Barry, Todd and myself have helped us move ahead in the journey to recovery.Prepared by Bob Bertolet, October 19, 2015Amended December 5, 2015, My name is Todd Bertolet, and I am the younger brother of Toni Bertolet Henthorn.Toni Bertolet Henthorn was blessed with the gift of intellectual brilliance, impeccable character, extraordinary talents, and a big heart. Storyline Colorado, 2001: Toni Bertolet Henthorn, a doctor and mother, falls from a cliff in the Rockies. (This was also brought up in court.) Suffer the consequences meant having to listen to Harold talk until he got what he wanted. To the young man who thought he needed a new prescription for his glasses, but was diagnosed by Toni with an aggressive brain tumor requiring immediate intervention, Tonis life mattered and was indispensable. Rather, it defines an individual that doesnt meet the criteria for anti-social personality disorder, yet occasionally carries out anti-social acts. In fact, the Defendant has never been unlucky; only the Defendants wives have been unlucky with their untimely and obscure deaths. The Defendant claimed to be financially wealthy, when, in fact he had no fortune at all. Technically Weaver wasnt even supposed to be a detective. The strange saga of Henthorn and his two ill-fated wives began back in the spring of 1995. Man Accused in Wife's Deadly Fall Also Killed First Wife: Prosecutor. If the Bertolets wanted to see their daughter they had to get on a plane, a burden for two elderly parents even before both suffered mild strokes. What Toni meant was that Harold didnt like to be questioned. Friends and family were delighted for the pair, who seemed to be the perfect match. In fact, the most endearing and only statement that has been uttered by the Defendant is that he lost his best friend, a less than committed affirmation of a supposedly loving relationship. I know he killed her, he says. Even though he said he could work from anywhere, he didnt see a future in Mississippi, where Tonis family, friends and nearly everyone else who was dear to her already lived. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. ", After the jury was dismissed, applause erupted in the courtroom. Within less than a week, Douglas Countys coroner declared Lynn Henthorns death an accident. Then came the incident at the cabin. Here's everything to know about them. On looking back, authorities realized that they had failed to follow up on numerous leads regarding Lynns death, including the partial footprint found on the Jeeps tire. He was a wealthy fundraiser for hospitals and churches. Black Widower: How One Man Allegedly Murdered Two Wives. (Photo credits: Harold Henthorn case update via Dateline, Tyler Cipriani) To one cop, Harold said that they were driving east. CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Harold Henthorn, who shoved second wife off cliff, loses appeal for a new murder trial. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Overwhelmed by the loss of the child, Toni never wanted to see the hurt in another persons eyes, much less a childs eyes. Detective Weaver heard something similar from Rebecca Roberts. Harold said Toni got a text message from the babysitter, letting her know that her daughters soccer team had won. I think of how desperately she wanted a child and now she will never see that child grow up, never see her grandchildren.There is a picture of a smiling Toni resting on an easel in our home. Family, friends and co-workers were convinced Harold Henthorn was responsible for his wife's death. This despite the fact that the Bertolets had been extra generous to Harold and Toni, gifting them some half-million dollars for a down payment on their house in Colorado, for cars and new appliances and for anything else the couple needed in the 10 years since theyd married. Harold even called 911, and when first responders reached the scene, they noticed that Toni had fallen from a height of 140 feet to her death. The couple met online in late 1999 and got married only nine months later, both in a rush to have a child. Douglas County wasnt prepared to investigate Lynns death not only because theyd never seen one like it, but because they werent prepared anything of this magnitude. Her brother, Todd Bertolet, after learning about the theft arrest, said, "I'm blown away. : "http://www. According to the Denver Channel, Toni Henthorn's husband, Harold Henthorn, was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, but his supporters say that he didn't do it. Harold Henthorn, 59, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder in the 2012 death of his second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. When the friends and family of Toni Henthorn heard how she died, only one was able to put into words what so many others were thinking. He was able to hide the fact that he didn't work, even though he maintained for years that he did. It was Yvonnes job as a surgical nurse and the fact that she kept medical textbooks lying open around the house while Toni was growing up that first inspired Toni to get her start in medicine. The Defendant chose his own selfishness and greed over the needs of his family. DENVER - A Colorado man accused of killing his wife by pushing her off a cliff has been found guilty, CBS Denver reports. She was an eye surgeon. He pushed her.. I am haunted by my wifes lament: When Toni died, I died. In 2019, he filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to investigate the matter, which was again denied. And, strangest of all from Montoyas perspective, Harold refused to hand over the coat he was wearing. I dont think that was an accident at all, she said, sitting on a bed next to Toni. Although Harold pleaded not guilty at his trial, the jury did not deliberate long before pronouncing him guilty. Following the death of his first wife, Harold married a second time after meeting Dr. Toni Jill Bertolet Henthorn on a dating site. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. It went on like this for years, with occasional sunbreaks, moments when both Harold and Tonis moods improved and the union seemed salvageable. Their grandchild was now in the care of the man they believed to be her killer. In spite of Tonis efforts, the little boy died having succumbed to his injuries. To one cop, Harold said he and Lynn left their house to go on the drive around 1 p.m. To another he said 7. Montoya eventually got so fed up with the fact that Harold wouldnt help warm up his freezing, near-death wife that she used her own coat and left it at the scene once she and her family realized the police were almost there. Oh it was nothing, Mrs. B! Harold had insisted on one of their phone calls afterwards. "She contributed a lot to society, and to be wiped out for no good reason, it's more devastating." The stories he told police werent at all consistent. The silence of the victim, Toni Bertolet Henthorn, in the court today is another word for the pain that she lived at the hands of the Defendant. We are forced to say goodbye, forced to learn to live without our loved one, and forced to fill the emptiness that remains in our hearts. If you want to know more about this baffling case and where Harold Henthorn is today, we have you covered. Then, he asked Sandra to come help him. They couldnt talk about Harold on the phone, since every call with her was also a call with him. She died on the operating room after being flown to the hospital in a helicopter. They spoke to a co-worker of Lynns who said the whole scenario seemed suspicious. In photographs released by the US Attorney's Office after the. The Defendant is neither a good father nor a replacement for a loving mother. Plot summary Add synopsis Genres Documentary News Certificate TV-PG Parents guide Add content advisory Harold Henthorn pleaded not guilty and has always maintained his innocence. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. He organized playdates with other parents, told Haley when and what to eat, and made it clear to everyone paying attention that he, not Toni, was in charge. Sandra's death is now being re-investigated more thoroughly by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. When Harold Henthorns second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn, appeared to lose her life after a tragic fall, authorities became suspicious of the two times widower. Do it carefully, not quickly, was Weavers. How does she know that a trusted person is not lying to her? According to the testimony later given at a trial, instead of learning for themselves how much money Harold was due to receive from his wifes life insurance, Douglas Countys detectives took his word for it that the payout was $300,000 still a large amount considering his wifes modest social workers salary of $14,000 a year. By the time Detective Weaver called Roberts, she had been promoted all the way up to chief of the department, and had witnessed more deaths than she cared to count. Bertolet said, "There's no doubt he paid for his defense with Toni's money.". What that something actually was, the Bertolets were slow to find out. The Jeep was then salvaged. The basic facts of the case are these. Maybe it wasnt the most critical detail. But was it an accident? The file contained a note from a woman named Patricia Montoya, who called the day after the accident with a question. Harold couldnt account for how the SUV fell off not one, but the two jacks he said hed used to prop it up. After all, his first wife had also died under unusual circumstances, although her death was immediately ruled an accident. Harold and Toni Henthorn (credit CBS) A federal jury convicted Henthorn of pushing his second wife, Toni, off a cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2012. Lynn Henthorns death was a tragedy, not a crime. At trial, the coroner testified that Tonis lipstick hadnt been mussed, meaning Harold hadnt actually performed CPR. Harold never said she wasnt allowed, of course. Harold was usually cheery, often irrepressibly so. He rested the car on the same type of jacks Harold said hed used, in the same spot on the same side of the road where Lynn died. The Defendant claimed to be a provider, when, in fact he offered and gave nothing. Harold planned every one of the little girls days and nights. He was older. The Defendant feels no guilt, and, as is the case with most criminals, blames the victim, the victims family, the Good Samaritan and rescuers, the press, the investigative authorities, and the judicial system for his troubles. Similar to his first wifes death, Harold Henthorn began showing inconsistencies in his statements, but the police were cautious this time. "statcounter.com/counter/counter.js'>"); We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Toni Henthorn fell to her death off a cliff while hiking with her husband, Harold. I disagree with the Defendants counsel when he proclaimed that the Defendant told lies to his detriment; the truth is the Defendant told lies for his direct benefit. Haley is not fine without her mother. But every time she broached the subject of Harolds job, the couples lack of money or his need for control over every part of her life, Toni always had the same response: If you do that, Ill suffer the consequences. After all, they had been witness to Harolds efforts at trying to alienate his second wife from her close ones. The Bertolets could sense that Toni was unhappy but felt there was little they could do about it. In photographs released by the US Attorney's Office after the. Grief means coping, emptiness, adjusting, loss, and sadness. He found a Jeep Cherokee similar to the one that fell on Lynn and went about trying to recreate the scenario that killed her. Only a few years later he was surprised to find that the people who ran the county wanted him to work cases. He tossed the flat in the back, as Harold had said hed done in one version of his story. Harold was convicted of first-degree murder, and in 2015 was sentenced to life in federal prison. Sandra suffered numerous severe injuries, but hung on long enough for the paramedics to arrive. The Defendant severely limited and constrained the mother / daughter relationship of Toni and her mother and closely monitored all communication, not because they didnt get along, but merely because they were too close. Employee communication . "Believe it or not I forgive him (Henthorn) for doing it. Now he needed an answer to a question that was gnawing at him. A federal jury on Monday convicted a man of murder for pushing his wife off a cliff as they hiked in Colorado to celebrate their wedding anniversary. To another he said it was merely spongy. He had her body cremated, scattered the ashes on Colorados Red Mountain, and collected the $4.7 million life insurance payout from the plan she had recently signed up for. His second wife Toni died in 2012 after a fall during a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. But all was not as it seemed. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. But for us, there will be, forever in this life, the pain and tears, maybe not seen by others, for our daughter, killed in a cruel, sadistic, senseless and cowardly act of violence.On September 29, 2012, the family as a whole decided on a course of action, not believing that the tragedy was an accident. He was careful and methodical and knew how to navigate the choppy waters of bureaucracy even when it came to the toughest cases. Solutions . For both wives of Harold Henthorn, the locations where they died were deserted and Henthorn was the only other person present. Bundy was recognized for being very charming but also killed more than 30 young women. The camera he and his wife were passing back and forth had no photos on it. The Bertolets hoped life might get better for Toni with the birth of Haley in 2005, but found, to their dismay, that things only got worse. Then harder still. He told them, We are beyond sorry for not seeing through it. Harold Henthorn is 60 years old as he was born on January 10, 1962. Did you arrest the husband yet? shed asked. Although Toni lived near her family in Mississippi and was a well-established opthalmologist, Harold persuaded her to leave her roots behind and move with him to Colorado. Did You Know Anxiety Can Enhance Our Relationships? A government auditor testified at a grand jury hearing that Henthorn not only kept things from friends and family but also deceived on many occasions. If Henthorn is found guilty, I would not think either killing was premeditated but rather an opportunity arose and impulsively he used it to his advantage. She Used the Bathroom And Became a Target of the Culture War, Here's How LaRussell and Intuit are Helping Independent Artists Understand How to Achieve Their Financial Ambitions, Alex Murdaugh Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of Wife and Son, Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering Wife and Son, Tennessee Enacts Nations First Law Restricting Drag Shows, The National Stay Up Late to Perform 'Tropic Morning News' on Fallon, David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78, Suki Waterhouse Won't Take Romance for Granted on New Single 'To Love', Travis Barker Says His Finger Ligament Surgery Was a 'Success' After Postponing Blink-182 Tour. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Bertolet said he and his family believe Harold Henthorn funneled the $500,000 to his brother anticipating that he would eventually be charged criminally for Toni Henthorn's death and might not have access to the money. Months later, when they got the news that she was dead, and that she had died while alone with Harold, her father Bob said what most in the family were already thinking. It would be years before they would find justice. Gary Clexton, a court-appointed special administrator representing Toni Henthorn's estate, declined to discuss the new court case involving Rob Henthorn and the half million dollars. We take solace that prayers are being answeredIn closing, I thank the Court for allowing me to present this Victim Impact Statement. Toni and Harold Henthorn were celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary the weekend when she died. They can keep it under control most of the time, but sometimes when the opportunity arises, they strike. Related Her husband calls 911 but she dies and, at first, it seems like an accident. Prosecutors argued during a two-week trial that Henthorn carefully staged Toni Henthorn's death to look like an accident because he stood to benefit from her $4.7 million in life-insurance policies, which she didn't know existed. And he maintains his innocence. He would put them on speakerphone and then do the majority of the talking, while Tonis voice came in faint and distant, as if she were standing in another room. Grief is place where one never wishes to remain; yet it will be our unending passage due to the wrongful acts of the Defendant. Children shouldnt have to sacrifice so that one can have the life one wants, one makes sacrifices so ones children can have the life that they deserve. And that was the end of the story, except for one detail: according to investigator Robert McMahan, On the front passenger fender of the vehicle, right behind the wheel well of the missing wheel, was an apparent partial foot print type mark. Meaning it looked like someone had tried to kick the car off its jack. He's either guilty of two murders or he has a perplexing attraction to exceedingly unlucky women. On September 29, 2012, the couple was hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park when Tonis brother received a chilling text. This begs the question, why was he deceiving himself? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The show even traced the subsequent investigation, focusing on the authorities as they cast their net around the murderer. As the little boy lay on the emergency room table, he pointed to his head and moaned hurt..hurt. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The Denver Channel, 7News, brings you the latest trusted news and information for Denver, Colorado, Mile High and. Nothing budged the car. A jury returned a guilty verdict Monday in its second day of deliberations. She died after plummeting about 130 feet off a cliff in a remote, rocky area where the couple had been hiking on Sept. 29, 2012, their 12th wedding anniversary. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. She had already suffered through one previous marriage, and her parents knew that her deepening faith and the fact that she and Harold now had a child of their own meant it was unlikely she would ever choose to divorce him. Bob and Yvonne voiced their concerns to Toni when they could, which meant the few times they traveled to Colorado to see her in person and got her alone. Little did Harold Henthorns friends and neighbors know of the terrible secret he had been hiding for most of his married life. A former rural ranching community turned, nearly overnight, into one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. Toni. To Toni Bertolet Henthorns family, her friends, and the people for whom she cared, Tonis life was about the moments that took our breath away.Todd Bertolet. When Dave Weaver first sat down with the file he wasnt impressed. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. In the text, Harold claimed that Toni had fallen off a cliff and was critically injured. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Instead, it appears he risked it all for some insurance compensation. var sc_security="9a0f0d6e"; She, like Dr. Henthorn, died in a rural and deserted area. document.write("