January 10th was one day short of her mothers birthday on January 11th. 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. Toni was a medical doctor that had this unique perspective on life, and those moments affirmed her compassionate care and concern for others. Even early on, Weaver could see that the truth was leading somewhere he didnt want to be. 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. Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) November 23, 2016 A few weeks later, in early December, a judge handed down the official sentence: life in prison. He was a good guy, a loving husband, a good father to their daughter, and extremely busy working as a fundraiser for churches, charities, and non-profit groups. The story went like this: Late one night, while Haley slept inside the cabin, Harold asked Toni to help him clean up some debris. After all, Harold was a respected member of the community. Harold Henthorn talked to many different members of Douglas County law enforcement on May 6th, 1995, the night his wife Lynn died after being crushed underneath their Jeep Cherokee. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". A medical physician of Tonis caliber doesnt just happen because one simply holds a medical degree; this type of physician evolves through extraordinary experiences and is not readily replaced.There is no unique perspective or lesson to garner from the wrongful death and loss of Toni it is what it is a devastating loss. Maybe it wasnt the most critical detail. A former rural ranching community turned, nearly overnight, into one of the fastest growing counties in the nation. Many notorious serial killers have been sociopaths, such as Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy. Over a year before Lynns death, he had been arrested outside of a J.C. Penney for shoplifting $40 worth of underwear, odd behavior for a man who claimed to be so well off. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Toni was either a blessing to the people that surrounded her or a lesson to those that she mentored.Toni used her extraordinary abilities to become an accomplished medical physician in the specialty of ophthalmology. Selling the Bro Dream: Are Frat Boys Peddling Vemma Suckers? He was indicted on first-degree murder charges earlier this month in the second death and officials believe he is. Toni Henthorn fell to her death off a cliff while hiking with her husband, Harold. Prosecutors and police. After all, Harold was a respected member of the community. 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.). Now that Toni was home by herself in Mississippi, Yvonne could no longer hold her tongue. They also would have discovered that the amount was so high because Harold had changed the policy. Now that effort is laid to waste. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. 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. I feel for him and his family. For most of their lives, Toni and her mother Yvonne had been best friends. Bob and Yvonne watched as Harold slowly took control of Tonis life. 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. As exhibited previously of the mother / daughter relationship between Toni and her mother, the Defendant saw no value in a mothers love; the Defendant only saw the financial value of the life of the mother.To a child, evil and villains are supposed to be easily identifiable. Shortly before her death, the change Harold made allowed for double the compensation if Lynn died as a result of an accident. For both wives of Harold Henthorn, the locations where they died were deserted and Henthorn was the only other person present. The Denver Channel, 7News, brings you the latest trusted news and information for Denver, Colorado, Mile High and. Then, while she was standing below a raised porch with her back turned, Toni felt the weight of something heavy hit her on the neck and knock her to the ground. As always, Dateline NBC will use experts, law enforcement officials, and friends and family members to shape the story. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. ", VIDEO:Watch the CBS4 special "Inside The Investigation: Harold Henthorn. Then he tried to get the car to fall. Harold said Toni got a text message from the babysitter, letting her know that her daughters soccer team had won. The Bertolets said goodbye to their only daughter a few days later. Editors picks While Toni lived her life to inspire people, the Defendant lived his life to drain people, and he represents a human debt that can never be reimbursed. 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 one cop, Harold said he and Lynn ate dinner at a nearby restaurant just prior to the accident. He refused to allow Toni to help put Haley to bed at night, insisting that the hour or so before Haley fell asleep was his daddy-daughter time. Moments after a federal court jury convicted Harold Henthorn Monday of killing his second wife Toni, a process server surprised Rob Henthorn with court papers compelling him to appear in court in Douglas County Oct. 30 to tell a probate judge what happened to the half million dollars Harold Henthorn transferred to him, or a business controlled by him, in early 2014 before Henthorn was arrested for his wife's murder. Harold Hentho ". Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering Wife and Son. 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. Although Harold pleaded not guilty at his trial, the jury did not deliberate long before pronouncing him guilty. Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time What kind of mind thinks like that to kill based on an opportunity? 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 questions from Douglas County police to Harold were perfunctory. She wanted her to say that she would listen to her mothers warning. Technically Weaver wasnt even supposed to be a detective. The sentence to be handed down by this court is the only result that the Defendant has actually earned in his adult life. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. To Detective Weaver, it was just one sign among many that the investigation was botched from the beginning. (When reached for comment, the Douglas County Sheriffs Department disputed this characterization, but said they could not elaborate. The letter was from the Department of the Interior, which oversees every one of the countrys 417 national parks. The Defendant claimed to be a provider, when, in fact he offered and gave nothing. 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. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. The Defendants so called estate planning banked on and invested heavily in the premature demise of his wife. "We don't have to worry anymore.". To some people he said the Jeep fell when he threw the flat tire into the open hatch in the back. His second wife Toni died in 2012 after a fall during a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. During the initial investigation, Detective Weavers colleagues had found some inconsistencies. Plot summary Add synopsis Genres Documentary News Certificate TV-PG Parents guide Add content advisory Over the course of those dozen years, Bob and Yvonne Bertolet watched their daughter change. Her greatest asset was her ability to feel what others were feeling. 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. We are hoping that you have no more nights, no more pain, no more tears with the Heavenly Father. Henthorn was indicted on Nov. 6 in the death of his second wife, who fell to her death while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sandra suffered numerous severe injuries, but hung on long enough for the paramedics to arrive. Bundy was recognized for being very charming but also killed more than 30 young women. Yet as soon as she moved to Colorado, Toni was no longer able to speak to her mother alone. "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. Technically he was retired. It seemed to be a tragic accident. 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. His first wife Lynn died in 1995 after a car held up by a jack fell on her. var sc_project=9846729; Even though Harold had money, he refused to travel with Toni back to the South. They spoke to a co-worker of Lynns who said the whole scenario seemed suspicious. The Defendant now denounces and rejects a judicial system that convicted him of his crime beyond a reasonable doubt.The public needs to be able to forget Harold Henthorn, because he does not belong in anyones future. 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. After his second wife died in an accident, authorities found that circumstances of his first wife's death were more suspicious than they realized. He found a Jeep Cherokee similar to the one that fell on Lynn and went about trying to recreate the scenario that killed her. "That was very meaningful," Bertolet said. 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. That detail led to a much closer investigation of Tonis death. 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. Perhaps the most difficult part to understand is that Henthorn had it made. 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. 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. 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. Author Vissarion Belinsky appropriately noted, Nothing is more sacred and selfless like the love of a mother; every affection, everylove, every passion, is either weak or selfish in comparison with her. Before becoming a detective hed spent decades moving his wife from base to base. He needed things done his way something that was becoming more and more evident with each passing day. After Tonis death, the Defendant routinely proclaimed that Haley Henthorn was doing just fine without her mother. Oh it was nothing, Mrs. B! Harold had insisted on one of their phone calls afterwards. Every morning, she wakes up asking herself, "Did it really happen? Toni Bertolet Henthorns life was a masterpiece and role model to those who were fortunate to be a part of her life. On May 6 of that year, Henthorn and his first wife, Sandra Lynn, were driving through the dark. "); Toni was a successful eye surgeon yet she wanted nothing more than to be in a loving marriage and have a family. Thus, considering all evidence and statements, the police decided they had enough to charge Harold Henthorn with Toni Henthorns murder. He was able to hide the fact that he didn't work, even though he maintained for years that he did. When that didnt work, he threw it a little harder. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. It would be years before they would find justice. The Defendants estate planning was grossly disproportionate as to his gained benefits from the death of his wife, yet showed little or no reciprocity had the circumstances been reversed and he met his untimely death.Grief is the human emotion that is exhibited by the loss of a loved oneit is the price of love. Black Widower: How One Man Allegedly Murdered Two Wives. statements about the tragedy kept changing. If Harold said they needed a new car, the car got bought. Finally, Detective Weaver took his foot and, in the same place where the original partial print was found, kicked the Jeep. Phone calls and emails from CBS4 to Mackey were not returned. 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. Prosecutors said Harold. This has nothing to do with borderline personality disorder. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time After all, his first wife had also died under unusual circumstances, although her death was immediately ruled an accident. At the bottom it reads: In Loving Memory, January 10, 1962-September 29, 2012. Rather, it defines an individual that doesnt meet the criteria for anti-social personality disorder, yet occasionally carries out anti-social acts. CBS 48 Hours file photos This wasn't the only circumstance that Walsh saw as suspicious. 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. I would not go anywhere alone with this man.. We can only hope to learn more as the trial kicks into gear. PostedNovember 18, 2014 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 sent to him in 2014 by his brother Harold Henthorn. It just so happened that every time Bob or Yvonne called their daughter, Harold was the one to answer. 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. Which he always did. He was a wealthy fundraiser for hospitals and churches. Friends and family thought they knew him, but did they, really? Selena Gomez vs. Hailey Bieber: Why Everyone Thinks They Need to Pick a Side. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Dateline airs Friday nights at 9 PM on NBC. 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. 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. The innocence of a child should not be violated by evil within and, more importantly, evil within a trusted family unit. 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. Toni Henthorn's brother, Todd Bertolet, told CBS4, "They're going to go after assets that should be in Toni's estate." Her mother, Yvonne Bertolet, says two years since her death, she still finds herself reaching for the phone to call her daughter. They were out hiking when Toni lost her balance on a steep cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park on September 29th, 2012, bleeding out on the ground 130 feet below where she fell. Harold planned every one of the little girls days and nights. The case now before Weaver was different, though. We never imagined that murder would come into our lives like a thief in the night. 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. Toni worked long and hard in pursuing her goal of being an ophthalmologist. Reached this week, Rob Henthorn declined to discuss the half million dollars and referred questions to his attorney, Pam Mackey. Harold Henthorn is 60 years old as he was born on January 10, 1962. He's 38 years old, a married, religious person and he's shoplifting underwear in JCPenney." 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. 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. He had no real mentor to help him, Weaver said recently, in his first public comments since his retirement in August. Full disclaimer: I have not evaluated Harold Henthorn, but if he is guilty of murder, then he would fall into the range of what I call a borderline sociopath. 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. It does not store any personal data. 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. (The detective would later testify to this in court.) 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. According to Henthorn, he said a tire felt "spongy," so he pulled off the road to change it. After a few years sharpening his golf game Weaver got bored and applied for a job in Douglas, the county just to the south. Toni Henthorn was a skilled ophthalmologist and loving mother. 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. But all was not as it seemed. At trial, the coroner testified that Tonis lipstick hadnt been mussed, meaning Harold hadnt actually performed CPR. 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. Now he needed an answer to a question that was gnawing at him. Harold claimed that one of the cars tires felt mushy, and pulled over to change it. She had insurance policies, and Henthorn collected $496,000 from her death. He insisted to anyone who would listen that he was an in-demand fundraiser who had a large staff and made millions a year. 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.
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