The wrongful death was affirmed by an attentive, intelligent, meticulous, and methodical jury that considered the facts and evidence in this case and reached the verdict of guilty of 1st degree murder. And, strangest of all from Montoyas perspective, Harold refused to hand over the coat he was wearing. 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. Technically he was retired. 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. Yet it was hard for the Bertolets not to notice that so much about Harold seemed not to make sense. According to the file, the investigators noted the brand of shoes Harold was wearing at the time Sperry Topsider and took pictures of the tread. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. My name is Bob Bertolet, father of the victim, Toni Bertolet Henthorn. Its a mandatory sentence for first-degree murder in Colorado; Henthorn was 59. And there was one huge, almost shockingly damning piece of evidence the prosecution used against Harold. Since Harold was treated from the start as a victim, not a suspect, and since his wifes death was treated as an accident, not a deliberate murder, clues that wouldve appeared to others as red flags had no discernible hue at all. Her greatest asset was her ability to feel what others were feeling. The Accidental Husband: With Peter Van Sant, Brian Maass, Barry Bertolet, Toni Henthorn. The Defendant has blamed the victim for her own death. Police investigators, however, believe that Harold murdered them. 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. 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. 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. IE 11 is not supported. Andaccording to Haroldhe was putting the old tire in the trunk, with Sandra underneath the car, when the car slipped off its jack and crushed her. From the time of Tonis death, the Defendant has made it abundantly clear that he just wanted to move on with his life. Harold Henthorn, who shoved second wife off cliff, loses appeal for a new murder trial. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. September 23, 2015 / 11:02 PM Harold Henthorn pleaded not guilty and has always maintained his innocence. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. Case closed. The questions from Douglas County police to Harold were perfunctory. He was older. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. And, ultimately, the investigation rattled Harold. 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. During the initial investigation, Detective Weavers colleagues had found some inconsistencies. After Tonis death, the Defendant routinely proclaimed that Haley Henthorn was doing just fine without her mother. Where Is Harold and Toni Henthorns Daughter Now. The Douglas County Coroner had ruled Lynns death as accidental. The Bertolets found it odd that long after shed ceased to be a baby, Harold kept a video monitor running in his daughters room. It had been a full day, and the sun had set. Toni Bertolet Henthorn died after she was pushed off a cliff during an anniversary hike in Rock Mountain National Park. Not only for the death of the wife hed just lost, but for the one whod died so many years before. 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. A chance to speak frankly with her daughter was something she hadnt had for a long time and Yvonne didnt waste it. 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. The Defendants so called estate planning banked on and invested heavily in the premature demise of his wife. Toni worked long and hard in pursuing her goal of being an ophthalmologist. Thus, considering all evidence and statements, the police decided they had enough to charge Harold Henthorn with Toni Henthorns murder. Reached this week, Rob Henthorn declined to discuss the half million dollars and referred questions to his attorney, Pam Mackey. Her husband, Harold Henthorn, was convicted of first-degree murder in. Harold couldnt account for how the SUV fell off not one, but the two jacks he said hed used to prop it up. That saying served him well working sex crimes for most of a decade. 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. Earnings for Henthorn were in 1993, 1999, and 2000, but nothing after that. Selling the Bro Dream: Are Frat Boys Peddling Vemma Suckers? The Defendant only made withdrawals and made no deposits in the lives of his wives and their families. Grief is place where one never wishes to remain; yet it will be our unending passage due to the wrongful acts of the Defendant. 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. Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering Wife and Son. For both wives of Harold Henthorn, the locations where they died were deserted and Henthorn was the only other person present. Harold Henthorn, 59, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder in the 2012 death of his second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. Here's everything to know about them. 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. As the little boy lay on the emergency room table, he pointed to his head and moaned hurt..hurt. Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) November 23, 2016 A few weeks later, in early December, a judge handed down the official sentence: life in prison. 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. The Defendant proclaimed to be a Christian man when in fact he was an immoral man. Harold planned every one of the little girls days and nights. 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. Feds say Henthorn pushed his wife over a cliff at Rocky Mountain National Park. Harold Henthorn, and his wife Toni. The couple met online in late 1999 and got married only nine months later, both in a rush to have a child. Related Even after shed fallen asleep, Harold found a way to keep his eye on his only child. Phone calls and emails from CBS4 to Mackey were not returned. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. After his second wife died in an accident, authorities found that circumstances of his first wife's death were more suspicious than they realized. "That was very meaningful," Bertolet said. The Defendants jealousy and selfish ambition prevented any of his energies from being expended in considering the good of others, and, as such, his actions were accordingly contemptible.The Defendant mistakenly believes that he is a father and parent just because he has a child. A jury convicted him of murdering his second wife, Toni Bertolet, based on evidence that he murdered his first wife, Sandra 'Lynn' Henthorn. 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. She told Detective Weaver that she had been at accident scenes where family members of victims were crying, screaming, and in some cases so emotional they punched her. 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. Her husband calls 911 but she dies and, at first, it seems like an accident. "She contributed a lot to society, and to be wiped out for no good reason, it's more devastating." The show even traced the subsequent investigation, focusing on the authorities as they cast their net around the murderer. In 2014 federal magistrate judge Kathleen Tafoya said at a hearing, "The court views these transfers as an attempt to hide $500,000 in cash assets which could be used should the defendant decide to flee the country. Harold was convicted of first-degree murder, and in 2015 was sentenced to life in federal prison. Unlucky in love, but a success just about everywhere else. Yvonne always considered Toni the best birthday present she ever received. scJsHost+ They even uncovered a startling fact: Harold was already a criminal. To one cop, Harold said he and Lynn ate dinner at a nearby restaurant just prior to the accident. 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. It would be years before they would find justice. The control Harold seemed to demand over Toni extended to their daughter as well. Rather, it defines an individual that doesnt meet the criteria for anti-social personality disorder, yet occasionally carries out anti-social acts. Toni and Harold Henthorn were celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary the weekend when she died. var scJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? Taking the aforementioned points into account, the police suspect foul play. He was careful and methodical and knew how to navigate the choppy waters of bureaucracy even when it came to the toughest cases. Now that effort is laid to waste. In December, Toni Bertolet's husband, Harold Henthorn, received a mandatory life sentence for her death. He's either guilty of two murders or he has a perplexing attraction to exceedingly unlucky women. Finally, Detective Weaver took his foot and, in the same place where the original partial print was found, kicked the Jeep. DENVER - A Colorado man accused of killing his wife by pushing her off a cliff has been found guilty, CBS Denver reports. 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. Her mother, Yvonne Bertolet, says two years since her death, she still finds herself reaching for the phone to call her daughter. Can Humans Detect Text by AI Chatbot GPT? The case now before Weaver was different, though. Every great doctor had seen loss, had seen suffering, had seen lifes struggles, but all had discovered a purpose in their own lives to rebound from the lows of tragedy. Toni Henthorn was a skilled ophthalmologist and loving mother. We never imagined that murder would come into our lives like a thief in the night. The only question was whether Harold Henthorn would ever face any consequences. One night, something happened at that cabin that left Toni recovering in a hospital bed. 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. Henthorn was able to persuade police his first wife died as the result of a tragic accident. Harold said Toni got a text message from the babysitter, letting her know that her daughters soccer team had won. 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. To another he said it wasnt him Lynn was actually rescued by a random group of helpful strangers. Video marketing. 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 2000, Harold Henthorn married eye doctor Toni Bertolet after they met on a Christian dating website. The letter was from the Department of the Interior, which oversees every one of the countrys 417 national parks. Incidentally, the highway was quite deserted at that time of the year and did not witness much traffic. 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. Harold Henthorn and Toni Henthorn tied the knot in 2000. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4. Shatterdaymorn Plot summary Add synopsis Genres Henthorn told investigators that his wife paused to take a photo of the view and fell face-first over the ledge. Stranger still was Harolds behavior on phone calls. 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. 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. 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. "Believe it or not I forgive him (Henthorn) for doing it. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time 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. : "http://www. Toni Bertolet Henthorn died after she was pushed off a cliff during an anniversary hike in Rock Mountain National Park. 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. In spite of Tonis efforts, the little boy died having succumbed to his injuries. It is often said that when a brilliant mind, talent, and heart come together as one, one should expect a Masterpiece. To the young medical physician in need of an accomplished mentor to guide a promising medical career, Tonis life mattered and was indispensable. I feel for him and his family. On September 29, 2012, the couple was hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park when Tonis brother received a chilling text. Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 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. Black Widower: How One Man Allegedly Murdered Two Wives. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Detective Weaver heard something similar from Rebecca Roberts. The sentencing today is the final act in completing our first goal and has opened the door to achieving the second goal. 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 detective would later testify to this in court.) It took Harold 45 minutes to get to her, and he claimed he performed CPR as best he could after dialing 911. She was a volunteer with the West Douglas County Fire Department who arrived on scene shortly after Montoya left. As Warren Buffet stated, Honesty is a very expensive gift. A partial footprint wasnt necessarily evidence of anything. His job, for instance. Family, friends and co-workers were convinced Harold Henthorn was responsible for his wife's death. His first wife Lynn died in 1995 after a car held up by a jack fell on her. However, his first wife, Lynn . The 100 Best Albums of 2022. 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 Dave Weaver first sat down with the file he wasnt impressed. The Defendant claimed to be financially wealthy, when, in fact he had no fortune at all. 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. Then came the incident at the cabin. 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. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. If you want to know more about this baffling case and where Harold Henthorn is today, we have you covered. To another he said it was merely spongy. Harold Henthorn had taken out three life insurance policies totaling $4.5 million before the death of his wife, Toni, on Sept. 29, 2012. Prosecutors and authorities learned that before Tonis death, she had been subjected twice to injuries allegedly caused by a wooden beam. Harold Henthorn, 59, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder in the 2012 death of his second wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. Dateline Toni Henthorn, Harold Henrhorn's 37-year-old wife, was killed in October 2015. 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. He was 50 when his wife Toni passed away. Firstly, we wanted to be a strong voice for Toni and to seek justice in her behalf. After all, they had been witness to Harolds efforts at trying to alienate his second wife from her close ones. If he is ultimately convicted of murder, he will face a mandatory life sentence with no possibility of parole. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Something wasnt right, and Yvonne wanted to talk with Toni. The story went like this: Late one night, while Haley slept inside the cabin, Harold asked Toni to help him clean up some debris. The Defendant even proclaimed to a group of school mothers that Tonis daughter would be fine, because the real relationship was actually between Haley and him. There was something else, too, buried inside the file. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Yvonne had spent more than a decade suppressing her motherly intuition about Harold so that her daughter would be spared the consequences. 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.