News Release

Investigation leads to murder conviction in the Rockies

A three-year investigation led by an ISB Special Agent resulted in the arrest and conviction of Harold Henthorn for murdering his wife in Rocky Mountain National Park.

NPS photo by C Brindle

News Release Date: December 8, 2015

Contact: Investigative Services Branch, [phone]

Life in prison for man who murdered his wife in the Rockies 

Convicted murderer Harold Henthorn has been sentenced to life in prison by a Federal Court judge. The dedicated work of an ISB Special Agent, Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers, and agents with the FBI helped bring justice for the victim's family.

At the conclusion of the murder trial in September of 2015, Henthorn was found guilty of Murder in the First Degree. Investigators spent three years examining the 2012 death of Henthorn's wife, Dr. Toni Henthorn. He had pushed his wife over the edge of a remote cliff in Rocky Mountain National Park while the two were on a getaway to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary.

Investigators found that Henthorn had two life insurance policies worth over 4.5 million dollars on Dr. Henthorn; she didn't know about either policy. 

Investigators also found that Henthorn had been living a fictitious life for 20 years, convincing people he was a successful businessman and entrepreneur. All the while he hid the fact that he hadn't held a job since 1992. Instead, Henthorn lived off the money he received from insurance after the unusual death of his first wife, Lynn, in 1995. She was crushed when Henthorn's Jeep fell on her while the couple changed a tire in a remote area. Henthorn was the only witness. With new evidence brought to light after the death of Henthorn's second wife, Douglas County Sheriff's Office has reopened Lynn's death investigation and the Douglas County coroner changed the manner of death from accidental to undetermined.

Among the victims who spoke at Henthorn's sentencing were Toni Henthorn's brother, father, Lynn Henthorn's brother and sister-in-law, and Lynn's niece. The guardian ad litem for the Hethorns' 10-year-old daughter read a statement the child had prepared, telling the court  that she'd no longer refer to Henthorn as her father, but only as "Mr. Henthorn."

ISB is on the web at www.nps.gov/isb 

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