Anniversary Trip Turns Tragic: Secrets Unfold in Henthorn Case

DENVER, Colo. — Toni Henthorn’s 2012 trip to Rocky Mountain National Park was meant to celebrate a milestone in her marriage. Instead, it ended in tragedy when she fell to her death off a remote cliff. Investigations into the incident uncovered troubling aspects of her husband Harold’s life, revealing long-standing deception and dark secrets.

In a new episode of ABC‘s ‘20/20,’ titled ‘Mountain of Lies,’ airing on Feb. 28 at 9 p.m. ET, details of the case resurface as the Henthorn family grapples with their loss. Toni’s daughter, Haley Bertolet, recalls her mother fondly, describing her as both ‘intelligent’ and ‘wise’ in a recent interview.

Harold Henthorn claimed that Toni accidentally slipped and fell from a 160-foot cliff, prompting an investigation by the National Park Service. Photos from the couple’s cameras revealed multiple images of Harold standing at the cliff’s edge, which raised suspicions among investigators.

‘Our theory was that he was trying to lure her to stand where he is,’ Beth Shott, a retired special agent with the NPS Investigative Services Branch, said. ‘He was saying, ‘Look honey, this is safe. You can stand here.” Authorities noted several inconsistencies in Harold’s account that prompted them to delve deeper into the marriage.

A nanny for the family told investigators that Toni and Harold often slept in separate rooms, and Harold’s frequent business trips raised questions. ‘He would go on these trips, but he wouldn’t have luggage,’ Shott said, further indicating he may have led a double life.

Investigators also struggled to find any verifiable evidence of Harold’s fundraising career. When they checked his claims, they found no proof of the certifications he had indicated on his business card.

As investigators delved deeper, they discovered a pattern in Harold’s life. He had previously lost his first wife, Lynn, under unusual circumstances in 1995 when she was crushed under a car. ‘Remote locations. Odd places. Why were they there?” Shott noted the similarities between both incidents, raising questions about Harold’s involvement.

Despite Harold’s claims of innocence, investigators found he benefited financially from both his wives’ untimely deaths. Authorities discovered he had taken out multiple life insurance policies on Toni, worth a total of $4.5 million. ‘So we’re seeing this pattern of building up her net worth, so to speak, if she were to die,’ Shott explained.

After Toni’s death, Harold attempted to control Haley’s grief, telling her not to cry because ‘people would be watching.’ Within two years, federal investigators arrested Harold, primarily concerned about the isolated relationship he had created with Haley.

At a bond hearing, a judge deemed Harold a ‘substantial flight risk’ due to the significant amount of money he controlled, including Toni’s assets. In 2015, he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The trial’s outcome left a heavy impact, as testimony from park rangers highlighted the danger of the location. ‘What I think had a big impact on them was how difficult it was to get up there,’ former FBI agent Jonny Grusing remarked.

Following Harold’s conviction, Haley was adopted by her uncle, Barry, and his wife, Paula. ‘When she came to us, she was almost afraid to do anything without permission,’ Paula said. Yet despite her difficult past, Haley expressed forgiveness toward her father, stating it was crucial for her own peace.

‘Not for his sake, but for mine,’ she articulated. ‘So that I know that I’m my own person and that I’m grounded.’ She hopes to inspire others who have faced trauma, affirming, ‘There’s always a way out of the darkness.’