Toni worked long and hard in pursuing her goal of being an ophthalmologist. She was in immense pain and had numbness in her fingers when she was taken by ambulance to the ER. Every morning, she wakes up asking herself, "Did it really happen? The U.S. Attorney's crime auditor testified last week that Henthorn had no employment and no steady source of income. 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. He's either guilty of two murders or he has a perplexing attraction to exceedingly unlucky women. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. 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. His bosses told him to work the case the same way he worked every other case, which meant to go where the truth led, no matter where it led. Harold Henthorn had taken out three life insurance policies totaling $4.5 million before the death of his wife, Toni, on Sept. 29, 2012. Henthorn shook his head when the judge polled the jury, and after the verdict was read, one of the jurors hugged Toni Henthorn's mother, Yvonne Bertolet. How Psychologically Conditioned Rats Are Defusing Landmines, The Innate Intelligence Observed in the Dying Process. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Stranger still was Harolds behavior on phone calls. (Photo credits: Harold Henthorn case update via Dateline, Tyler Cipriani) Harold Henthorn pleaded not guilty and has always maintained his innocence. After meeting on a Christian dating website, the two got in touch and connected over their love for religion. At least that's what he told family, friends, and everyone else. She had a passion to console and give advice to those who were in need of direction and comfort. 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. 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. Jul 26, 2017 Slain Woman's Ashes Returned 4 Years After Murder. The couple seemed quite happy initially and even gave birth to their only child, Haley, in 2005. She, like Dr. Henthorn, died in a rural and deserted area. Toni always carried the pain of a loss, but she also knew what those tragic moments taught her as a person. 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. Toni Bertolet Henthorn died after she was pushed off a cliff during an anniversary hike in Rock Mountain National Park. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. IE 11 is not supported. 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. 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. This has nothing to do with borderline personality disorder. Then, he said, he saw nothing but a blurand Toni was no longer standing there. 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. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harold was later sentenced to life in federal prison. A partial footprint wasnt necessarily evidence of anything. Then came Harold. Did you arrest the husband yet? shed asked. How does she know that the person she chooses loves her for who she is and not for her wealth and lifestyle? 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. Prosecutors said Harold. Shortly before her death, the change Harold made allowed for double the compensation if Lynn died as a result of an accident. How does she know that a person of perceived trust will not cause her harm? The Bertolets found it odd that long after shed ceased to be a baby, Harold kept a video monitor running in his daughters room. All Rights reserved. So Yvonne continued with a final warning. 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. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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. 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 had to give his bosses credit; they were telling him he was likely going to find something that embarrassed them, but encouraged him nonetheless. 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 . The Bertolets have always been a close-knit family, loving, helping and protecting one another. Initially, the couple appeared ecstatic in their new life and were happy with each other. 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. 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. 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. Then, he asked Sandra to come help him. 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. 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. Now he needed an answer to a question that was gnawing at him. 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. He took away one jack and ran through the whole scenario again. Henthorn was able to persuade police his first wife died as the result of a tragic accident. Nice, right? But in Detective Weavers mind, none of that mattered to the men investigating the case because every piece of information they gathered was viewed through the same distorting prism. Harold Henthorn was a grieving widower. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Bertolets had accepted those quirks early on because thats what a good family does they worked hard at liking the person that made their daughter happy. He was careful and methodical and knew how to navigate the choppy waters of bureaucracy even when it came to the toughest cases. 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. Special administrators representing Toni Henthorn's estate are trying to recover the money so it eventually benefits Haley Henthorn, Toni Henthorn's daughter, not Harold Henthorn or his brother. At one point, Sandra ended up underneath the car looking for a lug nut and the car crushed her when it fell off the jack. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time The Bertolets said goodbye to their only daughter a few days later. Its a mandatory sentence for first-degree murder in Colorado; Henthorn was 59. Rather, it defines an individual that doesnt meet the criteria for anti-social personality disorder, yet occasionally carries out anti-social acts. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The control Harold seemed to demand over Toni extended to their daughter as well. A jury returned a guilty verdict Monday in its second day of deliberations. If you want to know more about this baffling case and where Harold Henthorn is today, we have you covered. Nothing budged the car. Harold Henthorn flanked by first wife Lynn and second wife Toni. "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. Which he always did. He probably could have continued to live that lie, but if he did this, then greed got the best of him. The Defendants entire adult life was a lie and scam to live his life and lifestyle while others paid the price. A year after he was sentenced to life in prison, it doesnt look like Harolds appeal has yet been carried out. 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. 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. Toni and Harold Henthorn were celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary the weekend when she died.