“Mountain of Lies”: 20/20 Reports on Toni Henthorn Homicide February 28 2025
ABC’s 20/20 episode Mountain of Lies, airing on February 28, 2025, delves into the tragic death of Dr. Toni Henthorn, who fell from a cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park while celebrating her wedding anniversary with her husband, Harold Henthorn. What initially appeared to be a tragic hiking accident soon became a complex murder investigation, leading to Harold’s conviction. The episode includes an exclusive interview with Toni and Harold’s daughter, Haley Bertolet, who speaks publicly for the first time since her mother’s death.
Investigative journalist Eva Pilgrim leads the episode, exploring the years of deception, financial motives, and a strikingly similar earlier tragedy—the suspicious death of Harold’s first wife, Lynn Henthorn. With new details and firsthand accounts, Mountain of Lies revisits one of the most chilling cases of spousal homicide in recent history.
Contents
A Fatal Anniversary Trip
On September 29, 2012, Harold and Toni Henthorn were hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary. According to Harold, Toni had been taking pictures near a steep drop when she suddenly fell nearly 160 feet to her death. Harold’s 911 call described a desperate effort to revive her, but rescuers later noted inconsistencies in his statements.
Authorities initially considered it a tragic accident, but the circumstances surrounding Toni’s fall raised concerns. When searching Harold’s car, investigators found a map of the park with an “X” marking the exact location where Toni fell. This discovery, along with conflicting witness accounts and Harold’s unusual behavior, prompted law enforcement to take a closer look at his past.
Harold Henthorn: A Man of Many Secrets
Harold Henthorn presented himself as a successful businessman, but investigators soon uncovered that he had no verifiable employment. Instead, he lived off financial support from Toni and large insurance payouts. After Toni’s death, authorities discovered Harold had taken out multiple life insurance policies on her, totaling $4.7 million—policies she was unaware of.
As investigators examined Harold’s background, they found more troubling details. Friends and family of Toni described Harold as controlling, monitoring her phone calls and limiting her interactions. Some of Toni’s colleagues revealed that Harold insisted on attending her business meetings and making financial decisions on her behalf.
The most shocking revelation came when authorities re-examined the death of Harold’s first wife, Lynn Henthorn, who had died in a similarly suspicious accident in 1995.
A Deadly Pattern: The Death of Lynn Henthorn
Seventeen years before Toni’s fatal fall, Harold’s first wife, Lynn, died in a bizarre roadside accident in Douglas County, Colorado. Harold claimed they had pulled over to change a flat tire when the Jeep suddenly slipped off the jack, crushing Lynn beneath it. He was the only witness. The death was ruled accidental at the time, and Harold collected a substantial life insurance payout.
With new evidence emerging after Toni’s death, authorities reopened Lynn’s case. They discovered that Harold had given conflicting statements to investigators, changed Lynn’s life insurance policy shortly before her death, and had no concrete alibi for the hours leading up to the accident. When law enforcement reconstructed the accident, they found it was nearly impossible for the Jeep to have fallen as Harold described—unless it had been pushed.
The Douglas County coroner changed Lynn’s cause of death from “accidental” to “undetermined.” While Harold was never formally charged in Lynn’s death, the striking similarities between the two cases helped prosecutors build their case against him for Toni’s murder.
The Trial and Conviction of Harold Henthorn
In 2014, Harold Henthorn was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in Toni’s death. The prosecution built its case on circumstantial evidence, highlighting Harold’s financial motives, controlling behavior, and the suspicious nature of both wives’ deaths.
During the 10-day trial in 2015, jurors heard testimony from first responders who found Harold’s behavior unusual. He claimed to have performed CPR on Toni, yet there were no signs of chest compressions. His phone records also showed that after the 911 call, he continued making personal calls and texts rather than seeking help.
Prosecutors introduced evidence of Harold’s deception, including his misrepresentation of his finances and fraudulent life insurance policies. They also presented the re-examined details of Lynn Henthorn’s death, painting a picture of a man who had orchestrated not one but two fatal accidents.
After deliberating for just over 10 hours, the jury found Harold Henthorn guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Appeals and Legal Maneuvers
Since his conviction, Harold has repeatedly attempted to appeal his sentence. In 2022, he filed a motion for a new trial, claiming his defense attorney had been ineffective. He alleged that his lawyer, Craig Truman, prioritized personal financial gain over his defense. The judge rejected these claims, stating that there was no reasonable probability the trial outcome would have been different.
Harold also petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case, but his appeal was denied. With all legal avenues exhausted, Harold remains in federal prison, serving a life sentence.
The Impact on Family and Friends
The loss of Toni Henthorn left a lasting impact on her family, particularly her daughter, Haley Bertolet, who was just seven years old at the time of her mother’s death. In 20/20’s Mountain of Lies, Haley speaks publicly for the first time about the devastating effects of losing her mother and the realization that her father was responsible.
Toni’s parents, Bob and Yvonne Bertolet, fought tirelessly for justice. They were instrumental in pushing for a deeper investigation into Harold’s background, leading to his conviction. In a heartbreaking moment during Harold’s sentencing, Haley’s court-appointed guardian read a statement from her, declaring that she no longer considered Harold her father, referring to him only as “Mr. Henthorn.”
A Case That Shook the Nation
The deaths of Toni and Lynn Henthorn exposed the terrifying reality of a man who manipulated those around him for financial gain. His ability to stage both deaths as accidents for nearly two decades highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in proving homicide cases without direct witnesses.
Mountain of Lies provides an in-depth examination of how investigative persistence and forensic evidence ultimately brought justice for Toni Henthorn. Through interviews, case files, and firsthand accounts, the episode revisits a chilling case of calculated deception and murder in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains.
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