This simple proverb, All is Fair in Love and War, when put into a simple Google search produces the following definition: “In certain highly charged situations, any method of achieving your objective is justifiable.” However, in a court of law, there is no way to justify pushing your wife off a 140-foot cliff to collect her $4.5 million in life insurance. Toni Bertolet (now Henthorn) was an accomplished eye doctor and surgeon in Jackson, Mississippi when she met Harold Henthorn, a self-proclaimed nonprofit and church fundraiser. The couple married and moved to Denver, Colorado and had their daughter, Haley. Fast forward 12 years later, when according to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, “Henthorn planned a surprise hike in the mountains for their 12th wedding anniversary. He and Toni left on a beautiful September day for the trails 75 miles north of Denver. The couple headed off the trail for rugged, more isolated terrain after about two miles. Then Toni’s brother Barry Bertolet suddenly received a text from Harold. ‘She’s gone,’ Henthorn tapped out.” 50-year-old Toni Henthorn had died after “slipping” off a cliff, according to her husband. Investigators quickly got involved and it wasn’t long after Toni’s memorial service that Henthorn was arrested in connection to her death. The evidence they found was compelling:
“Officers found a trail map in Henthorn’s Jeep with a pink, hand-drawn X on the spot where Toni fell. He hemmed and hawed about what the X meant when confronted.”
“Henthorn also claimed he climbed down the mountainside and tried to give the stricken Toni mouth-to-mouth. Except her lipstick was intact when rescuers reached her body. “
“Henthorn also was unemployed and sponging off Toni. Henthorn hadn’t worked for years. He lived off Toni’s medical income and her parent’s oil wealth. He’d printed phony business cards describing himself as a fundraiser for nonprofits and churches. Yet investigators found no evidence of clients. His supposed business trips were to a nearby Panera Bread store, where he surfed the Internet.”
“Henthorn also made nine hikes to scout cliffs where he could push Toni.”
“Nor did he sound distraught at her death scene. He gave the Park Service 911 operator a coldly detailed rundown of his location – including his latitude and longitude. He also detailed Toni’s supposed respiration and pulse rates.”
Most importantly, a motive: three life-insurance policies totaling $4.5 million would make him a rich man.
Family members’ testimony was also a crucial part in this case, as they noted that Henthorn kept changing his story about what actually happened when she died. First he said she lagging behind and disappeared. Next, he said she “slipped” off the cliff while she was taking a picture. Jury was not fooled by the “tragic accident” excuse and early last month, Harold Henthorn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in federal prison. What makes this story even more compelling is that prosecutors are looking into the mysterious DEATH OF HIS FIRST WIFE! According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, “Their Jeep mysteriously slipped and crushed Lynn while she changed a tire 20 years ago. Henthorn received $600,000 in life-insurance money, yet never was charged.” Toni’s brother Barry and his wife will be adopting 10-year-old Haley, and they were completely overjoyed with the verdict because he’ll never again be able to harm another woman as long as he lives. Source