Harold Hentho 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. The sentencing today is the final act in completing our first goal and has opened the door to achieving the second goal. The Defendant slandered the victims family for not publicly supporting his lies and deception and taught his daughter to hate as punishment of the same. Several of the jurors spoke with the Denver Post following the verdict, and one jurors comment summed their thinking up maybe better than any other. 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. That detail led to a much closer investigation of Tonis death. Toni was a medical doctor that had this unique perspective on life, and those moments affirmed her compassionate care and concern for others. As the little boy lay on the emergency room table, he pointed to his head and moaned hurt..hurt. "48 Hours" The Accidental Husband: Update (TV Episode 2015) - IMDb Harold stopped to check and had the vehicle propped up on a jack. Douglas County had changed tremendously in the intervening years. The Defendant vilified and chastised each Good Samaritan and rescuer that attempted to come to the aid of his critically injured wives; aid which he never gave nor intended to give. In the Defendants selfish quest to hoard a child as a possession, he interfered with and severed a sacred relationshipthat of a mothers love for her child and the childs need for the love her mother. On May 6, 1995, Harold and Sandra were driving home after a day of hiking. They can keep it under control most of the time, but sometimes when the opportunity arises, they strike. "Dateline NBC" Over the Edge (TV Episode 2016) - IMDb Harold Henthorn, and his wife Toni.. One night, something happened at that cabin that left Toni recovering in a hospital bed. If you want to know more about this baffling case and where Harold Henthorn is today, we have you covered. The Defendant claimed to be a family man, when, in fact he was a selfish man. 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. 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. We can forgive a child for being afraid of the dark, but we cannot forgive the darkness of selfish desolation that lies within the Defendants heart.The Defendant would have us erroneously believe that he is an unlucky man, a hard luck husband, and a person in which lightning has tragically struck twice. He pushed her, said Tonis father, Bob. The Defendant chose his own selfishness and greed over the needs of his family. Her husband's past is probed and deadly secrets are revealed. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Years removed from the original investigation, with Toni Henthorns suspicious fall raising new concerns, Detective Weaver was told to go where the truth led him. The questions from Douglas County police to Harold were perfunctory. If Harold said they needed a new car, the car got bought. 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 feel guilt that we failed to act on our suspicions concerning Tonis welfare in her marriage. 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. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Dateline reporter Andrea Canning talked with family members who still live in Mississippi and retraced the day of her death and the investigation by federal authorities. On May 6 of that year, Henthorn and his first wife, Sandra Lynn, were driving through the dark. It was only a few days into the new year, 2013, and only a few weeks after the Douglas County Sheriffs Department received a curious letter. Her husband, Harold Henthorn, was convicted of first-degree murder in her death. No. Early in her medical career, Toni received a call to give emergency care to a 4 or 5 year old little boy that had been critically injured in a car accident. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". But I would be very careful. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Gacy was a popular Chicago contractor who entertained children in hospitals, yet also raped, tortured, and killed 33 young men. A federal jury on Monday convicted a man of murder for pushing his wife to her death off a cliff as they hiked in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park to celebrate their wedding anniversary, rejecting his claim that her fall was a tragic accident. 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. They had lunch together, and headed down a nearby ridge to take pictures, passing the camera back and forth all the while. Technically he was retired. Perhaps the most difficult part to understand is that Henthorn had it made. The lead investigator made mention of a partial print on the wheel well, above the missing tire, the same one that Lynn had supposedly been trying to help change when she was killed. Of Henthorns defense, Peter Christofolo said, It didnt meet the common-sense barometer., It was supposed to be the perfect weekend #Dateline pic.twitter.com/ccPUf1sDEy, Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) November 23, 2016, A few weeks later, in early December, a judge handed down the official sentence: life in prison. 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. Not long after that he found what a lot of good detectives manage to find: a mantra. After a careers worth of experience, Roberts told Detective Weaver that she could confidently say the accident scene that took Lynns life and the behavior of her husband were the most unusual she had ever come across. He slammed the tailgate. "We are overjoyed with the verdict and relieved this won't happen to any other lady," said Barry Bertolet, Toni Henthorn's brother. At trial, the coroner testified that Tonis lipstick hadnt been mussed, meaning Harold hadnt actually performed CPR. But the rescue team couldnt make it to their position in time, and Toni died. Toni Henthorn fell to her death off a cliff while hiking with her husband, Harold. He was older. Harold Henthorn was one calculating and manipulative murderer. She told Toni that Harold may have even been having an affair. 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., Beyond even that, Sandras brother, Kevin Richell, went so far as to apologize to Tonis family for not seeing through the curious circumstances surrounding Sandras death. According to Henthorn, he said a tire felt "spongy," so he pulled off the road to change it. A portrait artist once said that it is only when the details of eyes are revealed that the observer becomes committed to the face and person before them. Now that Harold had taken that daughter away from them, however, and made it almost impossible to talk with her, the quirks became decidedly less charming. Then, when she found out that Lynn had died, she asked the follow-up question, the one record of her that still remained in the case file and made it clear how she felt about Harold. They also would have discovered that the amount was so high because Harold had changed the policy. But, as the lead investigator would later testify to in court, theyd never checked the print against the shoes to see if they were a match. Harold Henthorn, 59, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder in the 2012 death of his second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. It took the jury about 10 hours to find Harold Henthorn, 59, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his second wife, a wealthy Mississippi native. Harold Henthorn faces a mandatory life term when he is sentenced Dec. 8. (Photo credits: Harold Henthorn case update via Dateline, Tyler Cipriani) Harold Henthorn, who shoved second wife off cliff, loses appeal for a new murder trial. My child now asks the appropriate question of how do I know. Montoya and her family had been driving home that night from a day of fishing and picnicking when Harold appeared in the glow of their cars headlights and waved them down. The Dateline NBC episode 'Over the Edge' tells the story of Toni Henthorn who fell to her death while hiking with her husband Harold Henthorn in Rocky Mountain National Park in 2012. Hey Mrs. B! Harold would say, using the pet name hed given Yvonne. We are hoping that you have no more nights, no more pain, no more tears with the Heavenly Father. 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. 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. In the upcoming documentary, Brian Maas will investigate the crime that captured the nation when Harold Henthorn was finally arrested for the murder of his second wife 20 years after the death of his first wife, Sandra Lynn Rishell, aka Lynn . For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. Her brother, Todd Bertolet, after learning about the theft arrest, said, "I'm blown away. Thus, Harold Henthorn is currently serving his life sentence at the Terre Haute United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. Harold, in contrast to all those grieving family members, had been calm. Harold was convicted of first-degree murder, and in 2015 was sentenced to life in federal prison. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. 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. The Bertolets found it odd that long after shed ceased to be a baby, Harold kept a video monitor running in his daughters room. Harold Henthorn with Sandra Lynn, his first wife. On September 29, 2012, Harold and Toni Henthorn went for a hike at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. He was a good guy, a loving husband, a good father to their daughter, and extremely busy working as a fundraiser for churches,. Man Found Guilty Of Pushing Wife Off Cliff For Insurance Money This is "Dateline NBC: Henthorn Case" by Vicky Collins on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Incidentally, the highway was quite deserted at that time of the year and did not witness much traffic. To others he said the flat tire actually bounced out; it was the spare, which he said he loosened, that fell and provided the impact necessary to jolt the Jeep off its moorings and crush his wife. I know he killed her, he says. That saying served him well working sex crimes for most of a decade. The Defendant created his own reality and everyone in it. To one cop, Harold said that they were driving east. | As always, Dateline NBC will use experts, law enforcement officials, and friends and family members to shape the story. During the initial investigation, Detective Weavers colleagues had found some inconsistencies. It would have been, except that Toni plunged down a 50-foot cliff to her death. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The camera he and his wife were passing back and forth had no photos on it. This is an adapted chapter from Caleb Hannans new Kindle Single The Accidents; read the full story here. A chance to speak frankly with her daughter was something she hadnt had for a long time and Yvonne didnt waste it. Prosecutors and police. When she died, her daughter was only 7 years old. Police investigators, however, believe that Harold murdered them. The Bertolets have always been a close-knit family, loving, helping and protecting one another. Harold Henthorn, and his wife Toni.. Jul 26, 2017 Slain Woman's Ashes Returned 4 Years After Murder. His second wife Toni died in 2012 after a fall during a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. After being found guilty of first-degree murder, Harold received a life term in federal prison in 2015. The Sheriffs Office grew with it, from a few dozen to some 500 employees. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. On the map of the park he had with him the day of Tonis death, there was a literal Xright at the spot where Toni went over the edge. The Defendant blamed the press for exposing the truth and destroying his scam and lies to the community in which he lived under false pretense. In 1994, Henthorn was arrested for shoplifting $47.49 worth of men's underwear from a JCPenney store. Maybe even that she would leave Harold. Even though Harold had money, he refused to travel with Toni back to the South. But all was not as it seemed. Todd Bertolet, Toni Henthorn's brother said, "That was what was so odd. Afterwards she would discover what it was that had hurt her so badly: a large piece of lumber that Harold said fell off the porch. Then harder still. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Bertolets could sense that Toni was unhappy but felt there was little they could do about it. Convicted Killer Ralph Candelario: Case of Missing 1st Wife Dena Harold had her body cremated, scattered the ashes on Colorados Red Mountain, and collected the $500,000 life insurance payout from the plan she had recently signed up for. 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. First published on September 23, 2015 / 11:02 PM. Now he needed an answer to a question that was gnawing at him. Harold was convicted of first-degree murder, and in 2015 was sentenced to life in federal prison. He had done a lot: Two tours in Vietnam, a return to the country to help evacuate Saigon and 20 years patrolling Air Force bases. Additionally, detectives also discovered that shortly before Lynns death, Harold had doubled her life insurance in case of death by accident and subsequently had collected a lumpsum amount. The couple met online in late 1999 and got married only nine months later, both in a rush to have a child. Overwhelmed by the loss of the child, Toni never wanted to see the hurt in another persons eyes, much less a childs eyes. Tonis alma mater, the University of Mississippi, has set up an endowment in her name that will raise money for ophthalmology education and surgical equipment. The travel for work that didnt seem, to Yvonne at least, to be real? Firstly, we wanted to be a strong voice for Toni and to seek justice in her behalf. The case now before Weaver was different, though. In September of 2015, three years after the incident, a jury found Harold Henthorn guilty of first-degree murder in the case of Toni Henthorns death. Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? The Defendant has blamed the victim for her own death. I feel for him and his family. Although Harold pleaded not guilty at his trial, the jury did not deliberate long before pronouncing him guilty. And, ultimately, the investigation rattled Harold. Tonis brother Barry Bertolet spoke at the sentencing. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Family, friends and co-workers were convinced Harold Henthorn was responsible for his wife's death. She was 10 when her mother, Toni was pushed off the cliff. Convicted Wife-Killer Harold Henthorn Back In Court, Claims Attorney Old Medication, New Use: Can Prazosin Curb Drinking? Harold Henthorn was the only witness to both bizarre deaths of his two wives. After all, Harold was a respected member of the community. So Yvonne continued with a final warning. The Defendant claimed to be a provider, when, in fact he offered and gave nothing. Dale Archer, M.D., is a clinical psychiatrist and the author of Better Than Normal: How What Makes You Different Can Make You Exceptional. Additionally, the police ascertained that Harold stood to gain substantial life insurance money following Tonis demise, which gave him a motive for murder. Henthorn has sociopathic tendencies, without doubt, but what makes this so challenging is that a murderer is typically not a sociopath. He had to give his bosses credit; they were telling him he was likely going to find something that embarrassed them, but encouraged him nonetheless. Reached this week, Rob Henthorn declined to discuss the half million dollars and referred questions to his attorney, Pam Mackey. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Where is Toni Henthorn's Daughter Haley Bertolet Now? - The Cinemaholic Problems Persist For Henthorn Family: Brother Ordered To Court Harold Henthorn is 60 years old as he was born on January 10, 1962. Barry Bertolet, Toni Henthorn's brother addresses the media following the guilty verdict (credit: CBS), Harold and Toni Henthorn (courtesy to CBS), Watch the CBS4 special "Inside The Investigation: Harold Henthorn. "statcounter.com/counter/counter.js'>"+"script>"); We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. She was killed while trying to change a flat tire when the car she was underneath fell on top of her, thousands of pounds of metal pinning her to the ground. Video marketing. After meeting on a Christian dating website, the two got in touch and connected over their love for religion. Instead, it appears he risked it all for some insurance compensation. July 26, 2017 at 11:59 a.m. Harold told her he was a wealthy businessman who fundraised for schools and Churches. He then let them take the lead when it came time to give her CPR. Toni Henthorn: 'Dateline' NBC Airs Rocky Mountain Death Fall Of Eye Henthorn had been living a lie for years. The stories he told police werent at all consistent. Henthorn was able to persuade police his first wife died as the result of a tragic accident. 'Lethal love': Harold Henthorn had two wives. Both died in bizarre Hulus Wild Crime tells the story of Harold Henthorn and how he almost got away with murder. Yet Toni remained silent. Harold Henthorn and Toni Henthorn tied the knot in 2000. Her husband calls 911 but she dies and, at first, it seems like an accident. Did you arrest the husband yet? shed asked. var sc_invisible=0; In each case, the Defendant made arrangements to be a lucky recipient of significant benefits from those deathshis own version a post mortem lottery. 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. Now those cops had a message for Douglas County: You need to go take a second look at something you thought you were done with. Related: Man Accused in Wife's Deadly Fall Also Killed First Wife: Prosecutor, They seized on Henthorn's inconsistent accounts of the fatal fall and said the evidence did not match his shifting stories. Stranger still was Harolds behavior on phone calls. Is Harold Henthorn In Prison Now - Where Is He Today? - Mixedarticle If you would like to donate, you can visit www.umc.edu/tonibertoletendowment. ", After the jury was dismissed, applause erupted in the courtroom. Editors picks He's 38 years old, a married, religious person and he's shoplifting underwear in JCPenney." The Defendant preyed on women of faith in a Christian environment because, as with Toni, Christian women move forward in life with goodness in their heart as opposed to vigilance in their eyes. When Detective Weaver called her nearly 20 years later and asked if she had any idea why he, an officer from Douglas County, might be calling out of the blue, Montoyas answer came quick and definitive. Oh it was nothing, Mrs. B! Harold had insisted on one of their phone calls afterwards. Tyler Hadley's Killer Party Lynns death and Harolds behavior, Montoya told him, were still the creepiest thing Ive ever seen.. This development recalls the story of another notorious convicted Colorado killer: Harold Henthorn, who was convicted of killing his second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. We want to hear it. 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. Harold Henthorn's Secret Life | Psychology Today To another he said west. Dateline airs Friday nights at 9 PM on NBC. In photographs released by the US Attorney's Office after the. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. "); The spring night was cold and Lynn was only wearing a t-shirt. The bad guy is the Defendant, and the evil that our children must now comprehend came from within the family in the form of a parent and an uncle. He needed things done his way something that was becoming more and more evident with each passing day. Then, he said, he saw nothing but a blurand Toni was no longer standing there. Henthorn told investigators that his wife paused to take a photo of the view and fell face-first over the ledge. Bob Bertolet, Tonis father, and Todd Bertolet, her younger brother, read the following victim impact statements at Harolds sentencing. 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. The couple met online in late 1999 and got married only nine months later, both in a rush to. Prosecutors and authorities learned that before Tonis death, she had been subjected twice to injuries allegedly caused by a wooden beam. Colorado Man Convicted of Killing Wife on Fatal Anniversary Hike - NBC News The control Harold seemed to demand over Toni extended to their daughter as well. 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. Now that Toni was home by herself in Mississippi, Yvonne could no longer hold her tongue. It is unknown when Harold married for the first time, but he and his first wife, Sandra Lynn Henthorn, were together for 12 years before a terrible tragedy affected their seemingly happy lives. Phone calls and emails from CBS4 to Mackey were not returned. It had been a full day, and the sun had set. And that might have been the end of the storywere it not for an anonymous tip to authorities, encouraging them to look at the circumstances of Harolds first wifes death. Do not expect it from cheap people. The defendant is morally cheap and is bankrupt of all honesty.In the Defendants sociopathic world, no person, place, or thing had any power over him, as his thoughts and his mind were the only authority. Even early on, Weaver could see that the truth was leading somewhere he didnt want to be. To some people he said the Jeep fell when he threw the flat tire into the open hatch in the back. A jury convicted Henthorn of murder in 2015 after about 10 and a half hours of deliberation. The file contained a note from a woman named Patricia Montoya, who called the day after the accident with a question. Henthorn told authorities his wife was busy taking photographs and must have slipped, although he didn't see exactly what happened because he was using his phone at the time. "We don't have to worry anymore.". Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering Wife and Son. Haley Henthorn is the daughter of Harold Henthorn. But was it an accident? Tonis family, though, did not have a high opinion of Harold and suspected foul play after her death. But given the inconsistencies in Harolds story plus the inaccurate life insurance figure he shared, along with the fact that no one could explain exactly how the Jeep had fallen in the first place its existence pointed to an alternative explanation: Harold had kicked the car and killed his wife on purpose. It does not store any personal data. I dont think that was an accident at all, she said, sitting on a bed next to Toni. There were other inconsistencies too. The Defendant demeaned the investigative authorities for uncovering his murder and sinister intentions. She was deeply religious-teaching Sunday school, singing in both college and church choirs. Case closed. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. The silence of the victim, Toni Bertolet Henthorn, in the court today represents her loudest cry for her daughter and the injustice at the hands of the Defendant.In closing, this trial was about the last moment in Tonis life and the moment that Toni took her last breath. He was a wealthy fundraiser for hospitals and churches. Of all the titles that the Defendant has bestowed upon himself without merit, the title of Murderer, bequeathed by the jury, is the only title that the Defendant has earned. To another he said it was merely spongy. Then came more subtle attempts to choke off any contact Toni might have with those who loved her. Related 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.