But the rescue team couldnt make it to their position in time, and Toni died. But there was something else. 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. Yet it was hard for the Bertolets not to notice that so much about Harold seemed not to make sense. She was an eye surgeon. After all, his first wife had also died under unusual circumstances, although her death was immediately ruled an accident. Instead, it appears he risked it all for some insurance compensation. Also, an extensive review found that Henthorn, who had a clean police record besides a couple of minor traffic citations, had been charged with shoplifting underwear! The Defendant has blamed the victim for her own death. They also would have discovered that the amount was so high because Harold had changed the policy. We feel some of the information in the article is misrepresented or incorrect, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock toldRolling Stone in a statement, but we still have an ongoing criminal investigation and are not at liberty to discuss the case any further.). Her husband calls 911 but she dies and, at first, it seems like an accident. She died on the operating room after being flown to the hospital in a helicopter. It seemed to be a tragic accident. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Yvonne always considered Toni the best birthday present she ever received. 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. This development recalls the story of another notorious convicted Colorado killer: Harold Henthorn, who was convicted of killing his second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. Toni always carried the pain of a loss, but she also knew what those tragic moments taught her as a person. Henthorn told investigators that his wife paused to take a photo of the view and fell face-first over the ledge. The Bertolets found it odd that long after shed ceased to be a baby, Harold kept a video monitor running in his daughters room. Nice, right? Reviewed by Ekua Hagan. Not long after that he found what a lot of good detectives manage to find: a mantra. var sc_security="9a0f0d6e"; 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. Henthorn had been living a lie for years. He was careful and methodical and knew how to navigate the choppy waters of bureaucracy even when it came to the toughest cases. Weaver was the man for the job because even in a room full of patient people, his patience marked him as different. 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. DENVER (CBS4) - CBS4 has learned that the brother of convicted killer Harold Henthorn -- Rob Henthorn -- has been ordered to appear in court next month to explain what happened to $500,000. Tyler Hadley's Killer Party It wasnt until Toni came back to Mississippi to visit, for the first and only time in a decade without Harold, that Yvonne began to worry for her daughters safety. 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. Harold Henthorn, convicted of killing his second wife by shoving her off a cliff, will not get a new trial according to a ruling. She had insurance policies, and Henthorn collected $496,000 from her death. Harold never said she wasnt allowed, of course. Every morning, she wakes up asking herself, "Did it really happen? "https://secure." The control Harold seemed to demand over Toni extended to their daughter as well. Harold Henthorn was the only witness to both bizarre deaths of his two wives. 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. To one cop, Harold said the tire they pulled over to change was completely flat. ". Read More: Where Is Harold and Toni Henthorns Daughter Now? This case has revealed more than just the circumstances behind the wrongful death of Toni Bertolet Henthorn; it has also revealed the ugly truth of the extent of the deceitfulness of the Defendant.The Defendant is the evil that lurked in unthinkable places to manipulate his way into Tonis life as well as others of her character. Harold told her he was a wealthy businessman who fundraised for schools and Churches. Harold and Toni Henthorn Toni and Harold met online in 1999 and married just nine months later. How does she know that grief and sadness will not fall upon her again at the hands of a person she trusted? CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. He pushed her.. Even though Harold had money, he refused to travel with Toni back to the South. 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. On Thursday, prosecutors released photos and audio used in the murder trial of Harold Henthorn, 59 Henthorn was convicted last month of first-degree murder in the 2012 death of his wife Toni,. The Bertolets have always been a close-knit family, loving, helping and protecting one another. The Douglas County Coroner had ruled Lynns death as accidental. Toni was not a life form on this Earth with wings and halo; she was a grounded person living an everyday life while doing remarkable deeds that touched peoples lives.Remarkable deeds didnt always shield Toni from the heartaches and losses seen in the practice of medicine, but those heartaches and losses defined and elevated her compassion and care. In the text, Harold claimed that Toni had fallen off a cliff and was critically injured. Solutions . Friends and family were delighted for the pair, who seemed to be the perfect match. And despite her having all the trappings of happiness a big house, a healthy child, a yearly Christmas card detailing everything thatd gone right for them that never seemed to happen. At least that's what he told family, friends, and everyone else. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice James 3:16. Perhaps the most difficult part to understand is that Henthorn had it made. Her brother, Todd Bertolet, after learning about the theft arrest, said, "I'm blown away. The Defendant referred to Haley as a trooper and that life moved on as if nothing ever happened with respect to the permanent absence of Haleys mother. 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 . Within less than a week, Douglas Countys coroner declared Lynn Henthorns death an accident. Her greatest asset was her ability to feel what others were feeling. Rather, it defines an individual that doesnt meet the criteria for anti-social personality disorder, yet occasionally carries out anti-social acts. In addition, Henthorn has only been in the public eye since 2012, and was only sentenced last year, but his story really spans twenty years. Bob Bertolet, Tonis father, and Todd Bertolet, her younger brother, read the following victim impact statements at Harolds sentencing. 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. 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. Now that Toni was home by herself in Mississippi, Yvonne could no longer hold her tongue. Harold Hentho Selling the Bro Dream: Are Frat Boys Peddling Vemma Suckers? Following the death of his first wife, Harold married a second time after meeting Dr. Toni Jill Bertolet Henthorn on a dating site. Related This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Defendant demeaned the investigative authorities for uncovering his murder and sinister intentions. As Warren Buffet stated, Honesty is a very expensive gift. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. She had fallen 128 feet, and suffered numerous severe injuries. I think there is a special place in hell for someone like [Harold].. His attorney, Craig Truman, said prosecutors failed to prove he killed her. In photographs released by the US Attorney's Office after the. 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. For some reason, though it was clear she needed their help, Harold yelled at them when they dragged Lynns unconscious body out from underneath the Jeep. 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. He tossed the flat in the back, as Harold had said hed done in one version of his story. Reading through the file 18 years later, Detective Weaver realized something, which would later come out in court testimony from his superiors: that in almost every one of those conversations Harold made a statement that conflicted with something else hed already said. Initially, the couple appeared ecstatic in their new life and were happy with each other. scJsHost+ I will never celebrate my birthday again. Yvonne and I will never again hear Toni say, Hi Momma, Hi Daddy, this is Sissy.We hear you, Sissy, in our hearts. Her husband, Harold Henthorn, was convicted of first-degree murder in. Although the police found a partial footprint on the Jeeps tires and Harolds statements about the tragedy kept changing, Lynns death was soon determined an accident. He had seen a lot. Toni and Harold Henthorn were celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary the weekend when she died. 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. 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. All Rights reserved. Lynn Henthorns death was a tragedy, not a crime. The Defendant only made withdrawals and made no deposits in the lives of his wives and their families. We agonize over the question: Did Toni know she was being murdered and what were her thoughts as she fell 140 feet? Unlucky in love, but a success just about everywhere else. When she died, her daughter was only 7 years old. 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. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time That wasnt really a concern for the Bertolets Tonis father, Bob, had grown wealthy by making smart bets on pieces of land that turned out to be full of oil. statements about the tragedy kept changing. Police investigators, however, believe that Harold murdered them. In photographs released by the US Attorney's Office after the. 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. Her husband, Harold Henthorn, was convicted of first-degree murder in her death. Black Widower: How One Man Allegedly Murdered Two Wives. It would take a lot less time to find out that for Harold, their son-in-law, his tragic present looked very much like his past. Henthorn had been in prison since his arrest for Tonis murder in November of 2014 Since then, hes been transferred twice: in March, he went from Colorado to a Federal holding pen in Oklahoma City; then, to the high-security United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. You do with this what you want to. That woman on the mountain, she said. And, though hes already serving a life sentence for killing his second wife, the total lack of charges stemming from the strange, mysterious death of his first continues to fuel general outrage and disbelief. In a horrible turn of events, Lynn crawled under the car to retrieve a lug nut when the vehicle came down on her crushing her fatally. She was 10 when her mother, Toni was pushed off the cliff. Even early on, Weaver could see that the truth was leading somewhere he didnt want to be. Bertolet said he supported what the court-appointed administrators were doing since Toni Henthorn's family believes Harold Henthorn has likely spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of his dead wife's money to pay his own defense lawyers. First published on September 23, 2015 / 11:02 PM. No physical evidence remained. First he convinced her to move to Colorado. I feel for him and his family. The Accidental Husband: With Peter Van Sant, Brian Maass, Barry Bertolet, Toni Henthorn. The Defendant never showed grief as to the loss of Toni, and has yet to tell anyone in this family that he actually loved her. She told Toni she thought Harold wasnt working as much as he said he was, if at all. They had lunch together, and headed down a nearby ridge to take pictures, passing the camera back and forth all the while. Oh it was nothing, Mrs. B! Harold had insisted on one of their phone calls afterwards. On May 6, 1995, Harold and Lynndecided to go on a long drive along a highway in Sedalia, Colorado. I dont think that was an accident at all, she said, sitting on a bed next to Toni. Buried inside the report, Detective Weaver found a reference to a footprint. ", After the jury was dismissed, applause erupted in the courtroom. At trial, the coroner testified that Tonis lipstick hadnt been mussed, meaning Harold hadnt actually performed CPR. Plot summary Add synopsis Genres Documentary News Certificate TV-PG Parents guide Add content advisory Selena Gomez vs. Hailey Bieber: Why Everyone Thinks They Need to Pick a Side. Dale Archer, M.D., is a clinical psychiatrist and the author of Better Than Normal: How What Makes You Different Can Make You Exceptional. The family had enough money. var sc_invisible=0; And, strangest of all from Montoyas perspective, Harold refused to hand over the coat he was wearing. Toni had a profound effect on people with her care, having been consistently described by her patients and their families as that of an Angel and a Godsend in the time of need. 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. Tonis family, though, did not have a high opinion of Harold and suspected foul play after her death. Only a few years later he was surprised to find that the people who ran the county wanted him to work cases. We can only hope to learn more as the trial kicks into gear. Over the course of those dozen years, Bob and Yvonne Bertolet watched their daughter change. 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. And, ultimately, the investigation rattled Harold. It is often said that when a brilliant mind, talent, and heart come together as one, one should expect a Masterpiece. That saying served him well working sex crimes for most of a decade. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. To the young man facing total blindness from an injury requiring the skilled hands of a surgeon, Tonis life mattered and was indispensable. 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. Harold Henthorn, and his wife Toni.. A true parent places a childs needs above their own selfish wants. Yvonne wanted Toni to say something, anything. Her mother, Yvonne Bertolet, says two years since her death, she still finds herself reaching for the phone to call her daughter. Testimony in the Henthorn trial showed Harold Henthorn never really had steady employment, had brought in no income while married to Toni Henthorn, and had been living off his ophthalmologist wife and her family's money for years. "Toni was either a blessing to the people that surrounded her or a lesson to those that she mentored. We ask: How could money be so important to a man, that he would kill the mother of his seven year old daughter? The Douglas County Sheriffs employees registered Harolds conflicting statements and made note of the strange fact that the spare tire he said he was going to use was barely more inflated than the one he was removing. Their grandchild was now in the care of the man they believed to be her killer. And the only reason Weaver was even looking at this thin excuse for a file was that now that same husband was a widower once more. The Sheriffs Office grew with it, from a few dozen to some 500 employees. Firstly, we wanted to be a strong voice for Toni and to seek justice in her behalf. What Toni meant was that Harold didnt like to be questioned. 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. Dateline Toni Henthorn, Harold Henrhorn's 37-year-old wife, was killed in October 2015. Yet every time Toni managed to sneak a look at the couples finances, she found that their bank accounts werent nearly as flush as he made them out to be. He was constantly talking, often bragging, and always had to be the center of attention. This begs the question, why was he deceiving himself? Prosecutors and authorities learned that before Tonis death, she had been subjected twice to injuries allegedly caused by a wooden beam. This has nothing to do with borderline personality disorder. "She contributed a lot to society, and to be wiped out for no good reason, it's more devastating." This trial was about the last moment in Tonis life and the moment that Toni took her last breath, he saidand he was actually speaking for two Bertolets; his brother, Todd, wrote the statement. When that didnt work, he threw it a little harder. It appeared instead to be a terrible accident. What they wanted was to see Toni happy. Hey Mrs. B! Harold would say, using the pet name hed given Yvonne. 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 lies? 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Case closed. Toni worked long and hard in pursuing her goal of being an ophthalmologist. Bundy was recognized for being very charming but also killed more than 30 young women. 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. "Certainly those weren't my sister's wishes," said Bertolet of Harold Henthorn spending his wife's money to fight charges that he killed her. We grieve that we were not by her side in her dying moments. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Harold Henthorn had taken out three life insurance policies totaling $4.5 million before the death of his wife, Toni, on Sept. 29, 2012. His wife supported him, he didnt work, and he could have continued to live that life forever.