Any updates on this crazy case?

So many possibilities.

-Ben

Any updates on this crazy case?

So many possibilities.

-Ben

What kind of case was this? Could you please give me a concise description of it? Thank you in advance.

It was one of those classic "Con artist scams money from senile old lady then disappears" dealies. Only in this one, he is supposedly found dead but theres a twist, because nobody who knew the man identified the body.

Basically, A lady from Knoxville Tennessee lets this guy from Denmark move in with her. He soon takes control of her finances and she gives him power of attorney. In 1984 i think it was, they planned a trip down to South Carolina. They stayed there for 4 months. They had planned that the old lady take a plane while the guy drove the Mercedes back. When the lady arrived home, the guy hadnt arrived yet, and all their utilities were disconnected. Meanwhile, the guy is spotted 100 miles south of their holiday destination. He is soon found dead in a field near a dog that had been shot in the head. He had also been shot in the head with the gun lying nearby. Just before the holiday, the guy placed an ad in a paper looking for a chauffeur, even though there was no need for one. The ad said that only males were needed and that applicants needed to send a photo. It is believed that the guy was looking for a body double to kill and make it look like he had committed suicide, while running away with the old lady's money.

I found a record in the Social Security Death Index for a Dan S. Tondevold which seems to match Tondevold's date of birth (8/26/1933--in the UM segment it was mentioned that Tondevold graduated from high school in 1951). The SSDI entry stated that Tondevold died in 1985, which I think was when the body was found in South Carolina.

So officially it seems the case is closed, and that the body is still officially thought to be that of Tondevold.

That's what UM mentioned too. However at the end, they reported it as if the guy was still alive.

I don't think he is alive, frankly. While I'm not in total agreement with mozartpc's argument that "Suicide or Murder?" cases on UM are always really suicide, I think it holds here.

A friend of the lady whom Tondevald was scamming claims that "it doesn't make sense" for Tondevald to kill himself having stolen lots of money from the scammee. I'm not so sure; I'd argue that Tondevald knew the end of the gravy train was nigh--once they returned from South Carolina the jig was going to be up--and he also knew that he had now soaked the woman for all she had.

I'm also far from convinced that Tondevald was necessarily looking for a body double in the ad. Looking for a chauffeur for a four-month trip makes some sense; Tondevald probably didn't want to have to drive her around all that time. Even asking for a picture for a job like that isn't that unusual; an older woman wouldn't want to be driven around by a scary-looking guy, and that could eliminate some candidates right off the bat. Also, one other key point: Tondevald posted the ad at the beginning of the four-month vacation. Why would Tondevald do that, when he "needed" the body double at the end of the vacation?

It just seems to me like a rather high-risk strategy for disappearing...run an ad and hope that someone who looks vaguely like you responds, lure said candidate into the middle of nowhere, and fake a suicide and hope that the guy that identifies your body double never got a good look at you. If Tondevald wanted to disappear, all he would have had to do is stay behind in South Carolina (as he did), then take off somewhere else and just not bother with the body double and the fake suicide. He could have been long gone by the time anybody noticed.

ThirdMan, I like the cut of your jib.

In the early 80's I was working in a specialty food shop in Knoxville called The Gourmet's Market and Dan Tondevold was a regular customer. I asked him about the origin of his name and he said he was Danish. I mentioned that I had a good friend from Aarhus and he said he had never heard of it. Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark. I wonder how many Americans have never heard of Chicago?

Thanks for that Tennassean interesting stuff.

-Ben

I wonder how many Americans have never heard of Chicago?

They're a pretty good band. And Cetera had that "Glory of Love" song, so it would strange not to know who they are.

But yeah, this is one bizarra case.

They're a pretty good band. And Cetera had that "Glory of Love" song, so it would strange not to know who they are.


LOL.

This reminds me of the Ed Baker (Houston Oilman scams investors with his "tax shelters".....is thought to have later committed suicide in a deserted field where burnt out shell of his Jaguar was found) case alot though the other major details differ very much....

I think Tondevald is alive. In fact, I don't even think that's his real name. What I think happened is that this guy, whoever he is, assumed this 'Dan Tondevald' identity......keeps up appearances while he cleans out his elderly target......then in SC, he does the 'Body Double' thing and after the body is discovered & ID'ed, he skips town and either goes back to his regular identity (not very likely), or assumes a new one (more likely)....all with the stolen funds in hand.

The body double thing may seem like a far-out, high-risk plan.......but if we're to assume this perp liked/likes to change identities, then this would fit in with that very well.

It actually mentions in the segment that Tondevold was really from Las Vegas and not Denmark. The Danish accent was a put-on.

One item that bothers me is that a dog was found shot in the head next to Tondevold's body. However, UM never mentions whether Tondevold ever had a dog. If he did and the dead dog could be identified as his, then it is more likely that the dead human body is Tondevold's. If Tondevold never had a dog, then to whom did this dog belong and why was it found with this dead human?

The thing is, was Las Vegas' Tondevold and the con artist Dan Tondevold really the same person?

Not that I believe that he was Mrs. Berry's son Hugh (that was accurately disproven) but I have found some weird biometrical discrepencies between the picture of the later Dan Tondevold (DT #2) and the pictures in the Las Vegas yearbook presented near the end of the segment (DT #1).

- #1's ears are spreaded wider, while #2's ears are closer to the side of the head.
- #1's nose is rounded, with a wider nosebone, while #2's nose is narrower and pointed.
- #1's eyebrows are hairier and higher in the forehead than #2's.
- No cheekbone are visible on the #1's pictures, whose cheeks are plain with no bone showing. On the other hand, #2 has a more pronounced cheekbone. However, the fact that #2 is smiling could skewer this.

You can look at these pictures and reach a conclusion by yourself, but when I compared the pictures I realized that it is possible that the Dan Tondevold we know and the younger Dan Tondevold are not the same person. I wish I had a software to compare biometrics between these two pictures to quantify these discrepencies, but from what I see in those pictures there is at least a reasonable doubt that he was on those pictures.

LOL.
I just came across this page. Does anyone have any other informaton regarding Dan Tondevold and this story? Someone told me along time ago that they saw this on unsolved mysteries. I was never able to see that episode. I tried to find out some details. I received some information. Dan lived in Las Vegas along time ago. Any information that you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

The biggest thing that stands out in my mind about this story is Mrs. Barry (the old woman he scammed out of money), I felt really bad for her, especially because of her age. When they started the story in 1978 she was already getting up there, and by the time the segment came out, Stack said to the effect that she was "now 92 years old and in fragile health".

Does anyone know when she passed away (I'm sure she wouldn't be alive now, at like 110), or if she was able to reaccumulate any of the money she'd lost?

The biggest thing that stands out in my mind about this story is Mrs. Barry (the old woman he scammed out of money), I felt really bad for her, especially because of her age. When they started the story in 1978 she was already getting up there, and by the time the segment came out, Stack said to the effect that she was "now 92 years old and in fragile health".

Does anyone know when she passed away (I'm sure she wouldn't be alive now, at like 110), or if she was able to reaccumulate any of the money she'd lost?

Ellen McClung Berry passed away in 1992, moved from Berrymount, and indeed lived the rest of her days off the proceeds from an endowment she had made to the University of Tennessee (my alma mater, btw :) ), where she had actually been an art professor for some time.

As I've said in other threads before, the McClungs are one of THE most important families of Knoxville (and there's not too many :) ). Everything is named McClung this, McClung that. Extremely influential people.

http://www.fountaincitytnhistory.info/People43-BerryEllen.htm

A friend of the lady whom Tondevald was scamming claims that "it doesn't make sense" for Tondevald to kill himself having stolen lots of money from the scammee. I'm not so sure; I'd argue that Tondevald knew the end of the gravy train was nigh--once they returned from South Carolina the jig was going to be up--and he also knew that he had now soaked the woman for all she had.

I think that Tondevold took Mrs. Berry to South Carolina as the final part of his plan to take all her money. If there were notices from bill collectors, banks, trusts, etc., they most likely were not being forwarded to them in SC. He got her away from Berrymount so she would not notice anything was amiss.


I'm also far from convinced that Tondevald was necessarily looking for a body double in the ad. Looking for a chauffeur for a four-month trip makes some sense; Tondevald probably didn't want to have to drive her around all that time. Even asking for a picture for a job like that isn't that unusual; an older woman wouldn't want to be driven around by a scary-looking guy, and that could eliminate some candidates right off the bat. Also, one other key point: Tondevald posted the ad at the beginning of the four-month vacation. Why would Tondevald do that, when he "needed" the body double at the end of the vacation?

The advertisement for the chauffeur was for Berrymount. In the ad, it states that the chauffeur is needed for an east Tennessee country home, not for South Carolina. If Tondevold placed the ad at the beginning of a vacation, he would have more time to find a double. Also, he requested single men - if he planned to use the "chauffeur" as the double, a disappearance would be less likely to be immediately reported.


It just seems to me like a rather high-risk strategy for disappearing...run an ad and hope that someone who looks vaguely like you responds, lure said candidate into the middle of nowhere, and fake a suicide and hope that the guy that identifies your body double never got a good look at you. If Tondevald wanted to disappear, all he would have had to do is stay behind in South Carolina (as he did), then take off somewhere else and just not bother with the body double and the fake suicide. He could have been long gone by the time anybody noticed.

I think it was clear that he did not want anyone to find him. The body was found in a remote area - it had been there for a while, so there were probably signs of decomposition, which would make identification difficult. Also, he requested immediate cremation in his suicide note. No photo ID was found on the body, but there were a few strategically placed items belonging to Mrs. Berry at the scene (the gun and the credit cards).

I tend to believe that Tondevold managed to escape with the money, and was not the body found in the swamp. I do have a few questions though.

1. How did Mrs. Berry and Tondevold first meet? (This is never fully explained and may not be known.)
2. How did Tondevold move the money without leaving a paper trail?
3. Were there any reports of a missing person around the time the body was found that could potentially be the actual victim?

This is still one of the most intriguing cases on UM for me.

Tondevold sooooo did it. The fact that he wasn't some fancy Danish national but from Vegas (discovered by UM, not the police.....interesting) was always pretty funny to me.

In the early 80's I was working in a specialty food shop in Knoxville called The Gourmet's Market and Dan Tondevold was a regular customer. I asked him about the origin of his name and he said he was Danish. I mentioned that I had a good friend from Aarhus and he said he had never heard of it. Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark. I wonder how many Americans have never heard of Chicago?
chicago is the 4th largest city in America...LA is 2nd

I tend to believe that Tondevold managed to escape with the money, and was not the body found in the swamp. I do have a few questions though.

1. How did Mrs. Berry and Tondevold first meet? (This is never fully explained and may not be known.)
2. How did Tondevold move the money without leaving a paper trail?
3. Were there any reports of a missing person around the time the body was found that could potentially be the actual victim?

1. Most likely Dan met Mrs. Berry at some function, Dan probably was stalking her and just looked for an opening to meet her and charm his way into her life.

2. Good question, I believe there may be another party that helped Tondevald with the money side of things. Perhaps the dead body is that second party.

3. This is the biggest argument against Dan being alive. If there was a a dead chauffeur, that person would most likely be missed, even if he was unmarried. Perhaps this person was a vagrant or disreputable person. Someone desperate enough to take Dan's offer.

According to MegtheEgg's link above, the Berry's met Tondevold in the sixties in a shop in San Francisco and struck up a conversation with him based on his similar appearance to their son.

I think it's possible that Tondevold found a double and slipped away. I think it's equally likely that, after going through all the trouble of taking the money and moving it into offshore accounts, he got scared or spooked (since the people at the resort where he was staying seemed to be onto him), or possibly had more trouble changing identities/getting out of the country than he had anticipated, and decided to take his own life rather than face prosecution.

I think if something like this were to happen to day, enough forensics and fingerprinting could be done to determine a.) whether or not the body was Tondevold or b.) how likely it was that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Given the time that it happened (mid-1980's) and the location (Fripp Island, a resort area) it's unlikely that the police force was accustomed to dealing with many possible homicides or had access to much in the way of advanced investigative techniques, and therefore the investigation was botched.

There are discrepancies between the Las Vegas Dan Tondevold and the later one, but he could have easier had plastic surgery. He had been taking money from Mrs. Berry for years - it wouldn't have been difficult for a little nip and tuck here and there.

I wonder if they could have determined how long the body had been in the swamp. It's possible the body could have been there longer than the day of Tondevold's supposed "suicide." Also, he went to a resort about 100 miles from Charleston. If he found the double in Charleston to hire as the chauffeur, he may have brought him to Fripp Island to ensure his disappearance wasn't noted right away. Tondevold could have murdered him before writing the suicide note to have a body ready, in an area where it would not be found immediately.

A guy who was smart enough to get all that money would be able to devise a plan to get out of the country undetected.

I am from Denmark and a huge fan of UM and as such was much surprised by the Dan Tondevold case, which I just watched in poor quality on youtube.

I did a little detective work of my own and as I expected ‘Tondevold’ or ‘Tøndevold’ is not a very common Danish surname. According to the National Statistics Bureau here less than five people share it. My feeling is that Tondevold/Tøndevold in fact originates from Norway; at least it sounds very Norwegian.

When looking at the pictures of Tondevold, I must admit he looks a picture perfect Dane/Scandinavian, so maybe he was from these parts of the world; however if he was indeed Danish why the very unusual surname and oblivion of Århus?

To me it seems more likely that he was a person masquerading as Dane and with a very limited knowledge of Denmark. Maybe he was born in Las Vegas by Norwegian/Danish immigrants (likely considering his birth year) and built his alter ego on the stories/accents of his family?

I did a little detective work of my own and as I expected ‘Tondevold’ or ‘Tøndevold’ is not a very common Danish surname. According to the National Statistics Bureau here less than five people share it. My feeling is that Tondevold/Tøndevold in fact originates from Norway; at least it sounds very Norwegian.

When looking at the pictures of Tondevold, I must admit he looks a picture perfect Dane/Scandinavian, so maybe he was from these parts of the world; however if he was indeed Danish why the very unusual surname and oblivion of Århus?

To me it seems more likely that he was a person masquerading as Dane and with a very limited knowledge of Denmark. Maybe he was born in Las Vegas by Norwegian/Danish immigrants (likely considering his birth year) and built his alter ego on the stories/accents of his family?

Interesting


1. I just did a Google search and found a bunch of people by the last name Tondevold. So it is very common in America as a surname.

2. Lots of immigrants bastardize their names, it's possible their name was something else and they turned it into Tondeveold.

3. Do you know what Tondevold means in Norweigan? Is it a name from old Literature or Norse religions?

Your all full of crap... Dan tondevold is my uncle!!! He is from vegas. He lived in santa Barbara for years.

Your all full of crap... Dan tondevold is my uncle!!! He is from vegas. He lived in santa Barbara for years.

Well of course we are full of crap! We do not know the man personally and know only the content of the segment.

If he is indeed your uncle, could you tell us more about him? Please tell us more, we are dying to know more about Dan Tondevold (yes, it is him in my avatar). :p

Your all full of crap... Dan tondevold is my uncle!!! He is from vegas. He lived in santa Barbara for years.

Well after I saw the segment and the fact he was in a Las Vegas high school yearbook I never doubted he was an American.

Any news about him, is he alive? ;)

I have always thought that the key to this case is the dead dog that was found with what was claimed to be Tondevold's body. Does anyone know if Tondevold actually had a dog?

I love this forum. We really get people to come out and talk about things when we all are left to speculate! :)

-=Bump=-
Let get real here in the "Not my Son" Suicides there are discrepancies like he was cold when we got home but the police said he had just died its small things. In this case it is not a small series discrepancies the man is identified by a security guard who saw him two or three times and the body he saw was rotten so combine the two and any ID is suspect. Mr. Tondval curiously say what he want done with his body he wants it cremated this is often what a husband who kills his wife done so as to get rid of all the evidence here it is done for the same reason if your killing yourself the last thing on your mind is what you want done with your body. Another thing the man is a con-artist who better to pull a scam like this. It was just another scam he used to shake the police.IDK what do you guys think a feel sorry for Mrs Berry it seems like in her later year it was one tragedy after another sad.

In the early 80's I was working in a specialty food shop in Knoxville called The Gourmet's Market and Dan Tondevold was a regular customer. I asked him about the origin of his name and he said he was Danish. I mentioned that I had a good friend from Aarhus and he said he had never heard of it. Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark. I wonder how many Americans have never heard of Chicago?


I'm American and I know what city Aarhus is and where its from :wave:. Hell, I've never even been to Denmark.


Throughout the segment I was weary that he wasn't from where he claimed to be. To me, it was just a cover. After all, everything about him was fake. It could have been very likely that he was just an American faking an accent, or from an obscure Eastern European country.

And I have no idea why so many people here and on YouTube are debating whether or not the guy that was found dead was actually him or not. There are even people who think he did kill himself.

Its too ****ing obvious that it wasn't him. You really, really think that someone was going to let all those years manipulating, lying, and decieving go to waste? Its fishy enough that Tondevold told Ellen Berry that he was going to drive alone back to the estate, but even more so that he had her dump all her jewelry and furs in the car because it was "safer." Then when she got home all the priceless heirlooms and antiques were missing.

And I have no idea why so many people here and on YouTube are debating whether or not the guy that was found dead was actually him or not. There are even people who think he did kill himself.

Its too ****ing obvious that it wasn't him. You really, really think that someone was going to let all those years manipulating, lying, and decieving go to waste? Its fishy enough that Tondevold told Ellen Berry that he was going to drive alone back to the estate, but even more so that he had her dump all her jewelry and furs in the car because it was "safer." Then when she got home all the priceless heirlooms and antiques were missing.

Actually no it's not. For various reasons. The most obvious is that the detectives say that during the time before the death he was never seen in the company of anyone. The least most interesting reason is at the crime scene someone had to idtentify him. If no one did, they wouldn't have said it was Dan Toldevold.

It also depends on how long Toldevold was swindling people. He obviously knew it was getting hot when they told him the credit cards were maxed out and they required a payment. If he was to get caught (which was the likely outcome), maybe more of his past would have been revealed. Or if he wasn't Toldevold, his true identity. He had a lot to lose from being brought in to be questioned by authorities.

What I'd really like to know is if Ellen Berry was informed of him swindling her. Why did she keep him in as power of attorney? All she would have to do is call the banks, accountant, her attorney, someone within the estate to have him removed. It's easy to remove POA from someone.

It seemed so obvious that he was a con-artist and yet no one questioned him being there really.

I think that Mr Tondevold is definitely alive. I don't think that's his real name either, and I don't think that Mrs. Berry was the only one he robbed, I'm sure there were more before her and since. Why would someone go through all that time, effort and trouble to steal all that money, jewels, furs & other valuable items and kill themself? Doesn't make sense! The guy obviously killed a look-a-like; probably befriended him and then killed him and passed him off as Tondevold; then assumed the guy he murdered's identity and is living the life of a king with all of Mrs. Berry's money. Im surprised that this guy didn't try to take her home, he obviously wanted to take everything she had and leave her destitute, which he did. This guy is total scum, and I hope he scam's the wrong person and they finally do him in for good!

I just watched this case and was wondering, didnt they say that he left a will? who were his beneficiaries? thats what i'd like to know. I'm sure he contacted them several months after the body was discovered and cremated and got "his" money back after offering a moderate amount of money to the person involved,be it a relative or what have you.
I dont doubt that he would kill himself if he thought he would be incarcerated,but the whole business with that body being found so far out and in such bad condition and that he specifically requested the body be immediately cremated..bollocks. Hes alive. He was smart enough to orchestrate this whole schmagilla then hes clever enough to come up with a way to keep it. the jerk.

I think that Mr Tondevold is definitely alive. I don't think that's his real name either, and I don't think that Mrs. Berry was the only one he robbed, I'm sure there were more before her and after. Why would someone go through all that time, effort and trouble to steal all that money, jewels, furs & other valuable items and kill themself? Doesn't make sense! The guy obviously killed a look-a-like; probably befriended him and then killed him and passed him off as Tondevold; then assumed the guy he murdered's identity and is living the life of a king with all of Mrs. Berry's money. Im surprised that this guy didn't try to take her home, he obviously wanted to take everything she had and leave her destitute, which he did. This guy is total scum, and I hope he scam's the wrong person and they finally do him in for good!

The name Dan Tondevold came up in that Las Vegas High School Yearbook back in the 50's didn't it? it must have been his real name.

I just watched this case and was wondering, didnt they say that he left a will? who were his beneficiaries? thats what i'd like to know. I'm sure he contacted them several months after the body was discovered and cremated and got "his" money back after offering a moderate amount of money to the person involved,be it a relative or what have you.
I dont doubt that he would kill himself if he thought he would be incarcerated,but the whole business with that body being found so far out and in such bad condition and that he specifically requested the body be immediately cremated..bollocks. Hes alive. He was smart enough to orchestrate this whole schmagilla then hes clever enough to come up with a way to keep it. the jerk.

All his will said was to cremate him. Funny huh?

The guy obviously killed a look-a-like; probably befriended him and then killed him and passed him off as Tondevold; then assumed the guy he murdered's identity and is living the life of a king with all of Mrs. Berry's money.

Ewww I didnt even think about that. He might have assumed that guys identity considering he probably passed his decomposed body off as his own.
creepy.

Tondevold may not have been Mrs. Berry's son but they sure looked eerily similar imo.

The first thought that ran through my mind when I started watching this case and they mentioned Hugh is that perhaps he left the sanitarium, bode his time and transformed himself into Tondevold to get revenge on his mother for how his inheritance went down. Now we know that isn't the case.

BTW, like your handle CrazyRalph. :)

The name Dan Tondevold came up in that Las Vegas High School Yearbook back in the 50's didn't it? it must have been his real name.

Did they conclusively prove it was him though? Someone said earlier that Tondevold is a fairly common name in the US. Perhaps there was another guy with that name or he did grow up in Las Vegas and assumed this guy's identity because he looked similar.

I'm also disturbed about the dog part though. It would help to know if he had a dog.

yes i believe the third party was the young man Ms Berry sent to boarding school. He got kicked out due to money being taken, he had motive!!!!!! I know him as he is the father of my children, my ex husband, I do believe he had a role in this, i just have no factualy proof, tho the handwriting on the suicide note looks very similiar!!!! and he is rollin in dough some 20+ years later....hmmmmmmmm

1. Most likely Dan met Mrs. Berry at some function, Dan probably was stalking her and just looked for an opening to meet her and charm his way into her life.

2. Good question, I believe there may be another party that helped Tondevald with the money side of things. Perhaps the dead body is that second party.

3. This is the biggest argument against Dan being alive. If there was a a dead chauffeur, that person would most likely be missed, even if he was unmarried. Perhaps this person was a vagrant or disreputable person. Someone desperate enough to take Dan's offer.
yes I believe there is a third party...I was married to him! He was sent to boarding school by Ms.Berry and was kicked out due to lack of $. She hired him as a youngster to do yard work for her because he came from a poor family and he too reminded her of her son. She sent him to boarding school to get him out of his situation, and he was angry when he got brought home. He had motive and cried about the whole thing to my mother one night in my parents living room, I think he was telling "his version" so he could get it out to someone, but i do believe he is the missing link, i Just dont have solid proof.

Your all full of crap... Dan tondevold is my uncle!!! He is from vegas. He lived in santa Barbara for years.
Dan Tondevold was born in Idaho, his grandfather came to this country from Norway. He had a sister who passed in 1995, she had a daughter named Cynthia so the person on this forum known as Cindy5 could very well be his niece. He lived in Vegas and also California. He was gay and was linked to a famous british director who still lives in NY. He had a life with friends and family and yet no one talks about what they know. I wish these people would do an interview for UM so they could post an update.

So is he dead or alive? Apparently some of you knew the guy.

So is he dead or alive? Apparently some of you knew the guy.

My personal opinion is that he's dead. He killed himself because he knew sooner than later his scams were catching up to him.

I always thought he faked his suicide based on the classified ad he made. I mean the guy was a live in con artist why should we take him at his word on his suicide? And if he was the real son then he had also killed once before

I found a picture of Ellen's son Hugh from when he was a little kid. Kind of looks a bit evil in the eyes, don't you think?
http://lgimages.s3.amazonaws.com/data/imagemanager/12181/hugh_lawson_mcclung_berry_sm.jpg

I had almost forgotten about this case, but I actually find it one of the more "haunting" ones on UM (one of many, lol). I mean, who the heck was this guy? How many other people did he swindle? Did he really get a "double" and kill said doppelganger and escape?

I know it sounds outlandish, but I actually do NOT think Tondevold committed suicide...I know the "hiring a double" theory is insane, but I just don't think con artists are usually the type to kill themselves. They generally don't seem to feel one iota of remorse, and it seems like most other criminals only kill themselves when they are literally trapped by police, as in during a standoff situation or something of the sort where they physically have no other option than to "win" by killing themselves.

I think Tondevold would only have offed himself if and only if he was truly 110% "caught" by police and had zero other possible options.

Con artists in particular are always scheming and planning and looking for that next opportunity to lie, cheat and steal -- I just don't think Tondevold chose to end it then and there.

But one never knows! Really want to know more about this case...

I know it sounds outlandish, but I actually do NOT think Tondevold committed suicide...I know the "hiring a double" theory is insane, but I just don't think con artists are usually the type to kill themselves. They generally don't seem to feel one iota of remorse, and it seems like most other criminals only kill themselves when they are literally trapped by police, as in during a standoff situation or something of the sort where they physically have no other option than to "win" by killing themselves.

It wouldn't have been the first time someone faked their own death with someone else's body...

Certainly a lot of new information in the Amazon version. The info about the race horses I had never seen before.

I always liked Pete Ballard, I had seen the Muhammad comment before on another running of the segment elsewhere but it always makes me crack up when I hear it.

I posted this in another thread, new here. Years ago, I was discussing this case with some folks when I lived in the Charleston area. One lady stated that Tondevold had a criminal record that was requested by investigators following his suicide.

Completely forgot about this case until I watched the episode the other day. Sure enough, Tondevold was convicted of extortion in 1954. It appears that a condition of his sentence required him to check into a "mental hospital".

Possible he befriended Hugh during this time and began correspondence with the Berry's?

Pleads Guilty To Extortion LAS VEGAS. Dan Tondevold, 20-year-old Las Vegas high school graduate, will appear before Judge A. S. Henderson Jan. 21 for, sentencing after he entered a plea of guilty to a charge of attempting to extort $1200 from a local businessman. Tondevold admitted his guilt as he appeared in district court Tuesday. His intended victim, Roy Quenzer, a master baker, had told police that he didn't even know the youth. Court attaches said that Tondevold may be committed to a special hospital for mental treatment as a condition of probation

Article from the Reno Gazette-Journal (https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/149246153/)

I posted this in another thread, new here. Years ago, I was discussing this case with some folks when I lived in the Charleston area. One lady stated that Tondevold had a criminal record that was requested by investigators following his suicide.

Completely forgot about this case until I watched the episode the other day. Sure enough, Tondevold was convicted of extortion in 1954. It appears that a condition of his sentence required him to check into a "mental hospital".

Possible he befriended Hugh during this time and began correspondence with the Berry's?



Article from the Reno Gazette-Journal (https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/149246153/)

Wow. Thanks for that extra information. And welcome! :wave:

The name Dan Tondevold came up in that Las Vegas High School Yearbook back in the 50's didn't it? it must have been his real name.

Folks, the yearbook from Las Vegas proves absolutely nothing. It has no link to this case whatsoever. All that yearbook shows is that some kid named Tondevold went to a school in Las Vegas. There's no evidence linking that child to the people in Mrs Berry's life.

At most, the con-artist who robbed her probably heard the name 'Tondevold' and used it as an alias. Con-artists almost always use aliases so it's highly unlikely that the guy who robbed Mrs Berry was really born 'Tondevold'. He'd hardly be dumb enough to use his birth name while committing the scam. And he certainly wasn't the child from Las Vegas - there's no evidence of that.

To solve this case we need to move on from the irrelevant distraction of the yearbook.

In my view, I think the 'Tondevold is Mrs Berry's long lost son' theory is still very much on the table and hasn't been properly tested and debunked. That theory would explain how he was able to manipulate Mrs Berry so well - i.e. because as he was her own child!! And the age of the con-artist is certainly consistent.

He had the means (He sure knew a lot more about Mrs Berry and her finances than some random vagrant who turned up at her house)

He had the motive (Jealousy at being cut out of the inheritance, as discussed in the segment)

He had the opporunity (He came from a family of smart, resourceful people and clearly knew how to manipulate Mrs Berry, i.e. his Mom)

I found a picture of Ellen's son Hugh from when he was a little kid. Kind of looks a bit evil in the eyes, don't you think?
http://lgimages.s3.amazonaws.com/data/imagemanager/12181/hugh_lawson_mcclung_berry_sm.jpg

That child's eyes and facial structures look a lot more like Mrs Berry's scammer, don't cha think? I'm telling you kids, the son and the scammer are the same guy

That child's eyes and facial structures look a lot more like Mrs Berry's scammer, don't cha think? I'm telling you kids, the son and the scammer are the same guy

It's a strong argument. This picture bears a striking similarity to Dan Tondevold.

Ellen McClung Berry's papers are all at the University of Tennessee archives. Here's the finding aid: http://dlc.lib.utk.edu/spc/view?docId=ead/0012_002524_000000_0000/0012_002524_000000_0000.xml&doc.view=print;chunk.id=

It doesn't look like there's much to it, but it does list Mrs. Berry's correspondence dating up to 1985, so I would bet there's at least some info about her dealings with Tondevold in there.

Personally I've always assumed he killed the man in the field and shed his old identity in the process. He had plenty of time and seemingly unlimited amounts of money with which to craft a new identity prior to the supposed "suicide." Mrs. Berry was sadly the perfect victim for this type of crime: no children, extremely elderly, and wealthy.

There really is no mystery here. Pretty cut and dry if you ask me.

Folks, the yearbook from Las Vegas proves absolutely nothing. It has no link to this case whatsoever. All that yearbook shows is that some kid named Tondevold went to a school in Las Vegas. There's no evidence linking that child to the people in Mrs Berry's life.

Not according to Mrs. Berry and associates of the family. According to Mrs. Berry, both she and her husband had befriended Tondevold on a trip to Reno. They corresponded with him on-and-off for the next fifteen years.

Two newspaper articles further corroborates her claim and places him in Reno.

At most, the con-artist who robbed her probably heard the name 'Tondevold' and used it as an alias. Con-artists almost always use aliases so it's highly unlikely that the guy who robbed Mrs Berry was really born 'Tondevold'. He'd hardly be dumb enough to use his birth name while committing the scam. And he certainly wasn't the child from Las Vegas - there's no evidence of that.

To solve this case we need to move on from the irrelevant distraction of the yearbook.

The case is solved. We need to move on from unsubstantiated claims injected solely to raise a possible, yet highly unlikely theory. The simple fact that in all this time, only one Dan Tondevold has been located and all records point to the same man. If your theory were true, certainly the one Dan Tondevold who has been found to exist or his family would have come forward to clear his name.

One birth record and one death record. Numerous newspaper articles that put Dan Tondevold between Reno and Las Vegas Nevada. Dan Tondevold also has a sketchy past. He was convicted of extortion and it is quite possible he was institutionalized for a period of time.


In my view, I think the Tondevold is Mrs Berry's long lost son' theory is still very much on the table and hasn't been properly tested and debunked. That theory would explain how he was able to manipulate Mrs Berry so well - i.e. because as he was her own child!! And the age of the con-artist is certainly consistent.

Except there is no evidence of such. It's aimless unsubstantiated speculation at best.

The Berry's were well known and had a large circle of friends and family, most who knew Hugh into adulthood. None of the people who actually knew Hugh speculated that he was Tondevold. Also, Mr. and Mrs. Berry had a poor relationship with their son from the time he was a teenager. It has also been well established that Hugh was an impulsive hot tempered violent criminal.


He had the means (He sure knew a lot more about Mrs Berry and her finances than some random vagrant who turned up at her house)

Actually it appears Hugh and the his parents were pretty alienated, even from a young age and by her admission their relationship was strained early on. Also, Dan Tondevold wasn't a random vagrant. Records indicate that he had corresponded with Berrys for over fifteen years and lived with her for six years following Mr. Berry's death.


He had the motive (Jealousy at being cut out of the inheritance, as discussed in the segment)

He was cut of both the inheritance of his grandmother and his parents.


He had the opporunity (He came from a family of smart, resourceful people and clearly knew how to manipulate Mrs Berry, i.e. his Mom)

Except none of that describes Hugh. By all accounts, Hugh was a not-so-bright violent criminal. I suspect he suffered from mental illness, which back then wasn't quite understood and he lacked proper treatment. Also, it appears the Berrys all but disowned him. Likely because he didn't fit in with the old money southern crowd and was a liability to their social status. They shipped him off every chance they got, starting from childhood. Probably to compensate for this and ease their guilty conscience, they assisted disadvantaged youths and other young men less fortunate that were perhaps more appreciative of their blessings.

There are a few things that most folks don't take into consideration regarding this case. To begin with, Dan Tondevold and Mrs. Berry had a long relationship. There is more to this than simple fraud. I'm confident that Mrs. Berry felt guilty about Hugh and Dan Tondevold was an eccentric and they used each other. The moment Mrs. Berry signed over power-of-attorney, Dan Tondevold was virtually immune from criminal liability.

I think people miss that Tondevold had expensive taste and lived with Mrs. Berry for over six years. Let's be honest, he blew over a million dollars on horses. I suspect Tondevold was a failed actor and was infatuated with living the high life. Probably had longed to be an actor or some celebrity, didn't make it and got cozy with a rich old couple who had felt guilty over their son. He played off this role as some wealthy businessman and mingled in the upper class. Over time, his expensive tastes and probably numerous business ventures burned through the Berry's fortune and once he squeezed every last dime. Once there wasn't another dollar in credit to get, no more comps, upgrades and not another drop of champagne, he killed himself.

It seemed much more mysterious when it aired on Unsolved Mysteries, but really only one Dan Tondevold has been shown to exist. The one we know exists, was convicted of extortion and was likely institutionalized for some time. As I said before, he was likely an eccentric, probably dreamed of making it big in Hollywood. Probably did some time in prison or in a mental hospital. Was fortunate enough to meet the Berry's. Maybe he met Hugh in prison and was introduced to them through him. He used Mrs. Berry to live his dream of living rich and high on the food chain. She used him as the son she always wanted, but never had. He burned through her cash. When the cash was gone, he has no skill, no money and nothing left.

I think maybe in a way he cared for Mrs. Berry. Perhaps he placed the ad in the paper hoping someone would befriend her or take care of her? But she had no money left, so the ruse was up.

Kinda sad if you ask me.

Just based on the physical images I've seen, Dan Tondevold doesn't facially resemble the photos of Hugh Berry in the aftermath of the attack/murder. I've never thought they were the same person, and while the circumstances of Hugh's death might seem mysterious to some, there's no evidence that he was alive after 1963.


There are a few things that most folks don't take into consideration regarding this case. To begin with, Dan Tondevold and Mrs. Berry had a long relationship. There is more to this than simple fraud. I'm confident that Mrs. Berry felt guilty about Hugh and Dan Tondevold was an eccentric and they used each other. The moment Mrs. Berry signed over power-of-attorney, Dan Tondevold was virtually immune from criminal liability.


Thanks for the information that you've provided. I agree; unfortunately Tondevold was adept at manipulating Mrs. Berry's sympathies over the years of their friendship.

Actually had a chance to dig into this a bit deeper.

Really no mystery here. The Berrys and Tondevold were longtime business associates going back to the 60s.

Found a newspaper clipping from The Tennessean dated October 18, 1968 discussing the Ladies Hermitage Association Fall Outing and the largest picture features both the Berrys and Tondevold.

https://imgur.com/a/vcXJy

Actually had a chance to dig into this a bit deeper.

Really no mystery here. The Berrys and Tondevold were longtime business associates going back to the 60s.

Found a newspaper clipping from The Tennessean dated October 18, 1968 discussing the Ladies Hermitage Association Fall Outing and the largest picture features both the Berrys and Tondevold.

https://imgur.com/a/vcXJy

Good find!

Were you that Unsolved Mysteries researcher that Robert Stack was talking about?

Recently saw this DT segment. What a piece of garbage. Anyone who victimizes the elderly like this needs to be brutally punished. It's unfortunate he was never caught.

Meanwhile, the guy is spotted 100 miles south of their holiday destination. He is soon found dead in a field near a dog that had been shot in the head. He had also been shot in the head with the gun lying nearby. Just before the holiday, the guy placed an ad in a paper looking for a chauffeur, even though there was no need for one. The ad said that only males were needed and that applicants needed to send a photo. It is believed that the guy was looking for a body double to kill and make it look like he had committed suicide, while running away with the old lady's money.

...but I actually do NOT think Tondevold committed suicide...I know the "hiring a double" theory is insane, but I just don't think con artists are usually the type to kill themselves. They generally don't seem to feel one iota of remorse, and it seems like most other criminals only kill themselves when they are literally trapped by police, as in during a standoff situation or something of the sort where they physically have no other option than to "win" by killing themselves.

I think Tondevold would only have offed himself if and only if he was truly 110% "caught" by police and had zero other possible options.

Con artists in particular are always scheming and planning and looking for that next opportunity to lie, cheat and steal -- I just don't think Tondevold chose to end it then and there.

Agreed. I don't believe that the body they found was DT's.

I just happened upon this extremely impressive deep dive on Tondevold's background. The writer discovered how the Berrys likely met him along with an absolute ton of previously undiscovered background. This may be the best thing I've ever read regarding anyone featured on UM.

https://americancrimejournal.com/the-redemption-of-dan-tondevold-part-2/

Even though there is little mystery about Dan Tondevold's background; do we all pretty much think he staged his death and that his body wasn't the one found at Fripp Island?

UM certainly painted it that way.

One could theorize that he went back to Asia. If he's even still alive, he'd be in his mid to late 80's.

The background given for him in that article certainly reorients things - or makes them clearer depending on your PoV.

If he killed himself on Fripp Island, then he was almost certainly suffering some kind of breakdown/mental affliction (and possibly had been for some time).

If he didn't kill himself, but instead framed someone else and absconded to parts unknown - the big question is "Why?" (was it because he, after living the high life for so long, didn't know how to function otherwise once he lost his job and so he bilked Mrs. Berry out of her fortune to continue living the only way he knew how?)

I just happened upon this extremely impressive deep dive on Tondevold's background. The writer discovered how the Berrys likely met him along with an absolute ton of previously undiscovered background. This may be the best thing I've ever read regarding anyone featured on UM.

https://americancrimejournal.com/the-redemption-of-dan-tondevold-part-2/

I like the article, but I come out of it thinking the author was trying too hard to prove Dan didn't steal any of her money. Who else had funds to her accounts? I would assume he wanted a different life and stealing the money from her (over many years) was his ticket out. When he got caught, he made the swift decision to end his life.

I like the article, but I come out of it thinking the author was trying too hard to prove Dan didn't steal any of her money. Who else had funds to her accounts? I would assume he wanted a different life and stealing the money from her (over many years) was his ticket out. When he got caught, he made the swift decision to end his life.

I completely agree and should have mentioned the author's bias. I also got the impression that the writer is gay himself, as he comes off as being much too sympathetic towards Tondevold as a result of the gay factor. Somebody commented, "Gay people can steal, too.". I got a chuckle out of that.

In spite of these points, the research the writer did was absolutely wonderful and in-depth. It was really incredible for me to get a much larger sense of Tondevold's life, as UM would almost have us believe he barely existed before showing up in Knoxville. It was a strange way to present him to a viewership who had no prior knowledge of the man.

I still feel that the body found was not his. All that we learned about Tondevold from this article strongly suggests he fled to an Asian country with a healthy expat community where he could speak the native tongue and live in obscurity.

I completely agree and should have mentioned the author's bias. I also got the impression that the writer is gay himself, as he comes off as being much too sympathetic towards Tondevold as a result of the gay factor. Somebody commented, "Gay people can steal, too.". I got a chuckle out of that.

In spite of these points, the research the writer did was absolutely wonderful and in-depth. It was really incredible for me to get a much larger sense of Tondevold's life, as UM would almost have us believe he barely existed before showing up in Knoxville. It was a strange way to present him to a viewership who had no prior knowledge of the man.

I still feel that the body found was not his. All that we learned about Tondevold from this article strongly suggests he fled to an Asian country with a healthy expat community where he could speak the native tongue and live in obscurity.

Stack says at the end of the segment she was living on a fixed income (maybe he said retirement home?) and many people close to her including the maid brought up his spending habits with her money. I, again, feel like the author of that was trying to uphold Dan against allegations of fraud and murder - he most certainly committed the former.

Don't know where else to put this -- but Arthur "Pete" Ballard, interviewed for this segment, is one of my favorite 'characters' they ever showed on UM.

Don't know where else to put this -- but Arthur "Pete" Ballard, interviewed for this segment, is one of my favorite 'characters' they ever showed on UM.

Check out the comments section at the end of the article I posted in my link above. One of Ballard's students posted a long and awesome tribute to him!

Check out the comments section at the end of the article I posted in my link above. One of Ballard's students posted a long and awesome tribute to him!

Wow that was great. Definitely seemed like a guy I would hang out with just to hear some stories. Thanks!

I watched this segment last night, I think it's really obvious that theres something missing from the case. A fraudster, who defrauds millions of dollars from a women of high society, leaves a suicide note and then later he's found dead, People are usually found next to their suicide note, they don't leave it at home and then go off and kill themselves somewhere else.

What kind of person leaves instructions in his suicide note on how to bury him? and why did the police decide to follow out these wishes? They get some security guard to identify him and following the wishes of a scam artist who had stolen millions from a relatively famous socialite, just decided to cremate him as fast as they can?


Theres the obvious fact the Ellen Berry had known Dan Tondevold since the the mid sixites

I always thought he faked his suicide based on the classified ad he made. I mean the guy was a live in con artist why should we take him at his word on his suicide? And if he was the real son then he had also killed once before

Been a long time since I looked at this case, but I don’t recall knowing from it that he was gay. That person who posted who said he was, who, if real, must have known him... well, that maybe provides an alternate explanation for that ad. He was looking for a single male and needed a picture. To hire as his... <ahem>... “chauffeur.”

I just happened upon this extremely impressive deep dive on Tondevold's background. The writer discovered how the Berrys likely met him along with an absolute ton of previously undiscovered background. This may be the best thing I've ever read regarding anyone featured on UM.

https://americancrimejournal.com/the-redemption-of-dan-tondevold-part-2/

I came here to post this same link without realizing it had already been posted months ago. After reading that article, I am convinced that Tondevold committed suicide. I also am now on the fence as to whether Tondevold defrauded Ellen Berry at all. His suicide note says:

They will notify my godmother who is "92" - I have no other family. I cannot continue or renew at 52, financial difficulties are beyond me and I am tired.

It's possible that Ellen Berry was outspending her finances and gave Tondevold power of attorney in an effort to curb that; but he was much worse in managing the finances.

I just happened upon this extremely impressive deep dive on Tondevold's background. The writer discovered how the Berrys likely met him along with an absolute ton of previously undiscovered background. This may be the best thing I've ever read regarding anyone featured on UM.

https://americancrimejournal.com/the-redemption-of-dan-tondevold-part-2/

Wow, what a find! While it definitely gives us a big insight into Dan Tondevold's life and past, it doesn't really shed much credible light on the situation involving Dan and Ellen. The author mentions that after the retail clothing operation Dan worked for closed, he showed up in Berrymount a short time later. It also mentions there isn't and wasn't a record of his funds and what they are, yet the author came to the conclusion that he absolutely did not embezzle or steal money from Ellen Berry. That may very well be but it is pure speculation on his part.

One question I have about this entire case. The reason Dan put the ad in the paper was for someone to go back to Berrymount with Ellen while he (Dan) drove the Mercedes back to Berrymount. But only Ellen's assistant went back to Berrymount with her. Why? Was Ellen ever questioned and asked if the ad was put in the paper with that in mind? If so, was she ever asked why no one ended up accompanying her other than her assistant? A simple line of questioning to Ellen regarding the situation involving someone to travel back with her should have shed a ton of light on that specific situation. Also in the segment, Stack says that Tondevold secretly put the ad in the Charleston newspaper. How do they know that it ewas even Tondevold who placed the ad?

If Dan Tondevold really cared so much for Ellen Berry then why in the world did he kill her dog? No matter if Dan killed himself or killed a look alike, he still killed her dog. Why not send the dog back with her or ensure it's kept safe? Why kill it?

One thing that is somewhat curious to me is how in the segment, the coroner mentioned that Tondevold was never seen in the company of anyone at Fripp Island, therefore they have no reason to believe it was anyone other than Tondevold. I think that's an odd statement to make considering they had to grab the doorman to identify the body. How were they able to tell that he was never seen with someone else? They clearly had no pictures of him in order to compare. He could have easily met up with someone off the grounds at the resort at Fripp Island.

Lastly, the suicide note is rather odd but the suicide itself can be interpreted two ways. The fact that he left a suicide note and asked for the body to be cremated immediately could be used as a way to get rid of any DNA and evidence of who the person really was, as we all know. At the same time, we now know Tondevold was used to a life of luxury. If he didn't kill himself, then this would have been the first time in quite a while that he didn't have money. If he didn't kill himself, where did he go? Why has no one come forward recognizing him? Why hasn't the family he had ever been contacted by him? Conversely, if he did kill someone else and faked his own death, then I firmly believe he did it knowing that he had stowed away a ton of Ellen's money, just as her friend inn the segment said. He had lived in Japan once before, he could very easily had gone back and lived the rest of his life there. This case is a true unsolved mystery.

I also am now on the fence as to whether Tondevold defrauded Ellen Berry at all.

In the segment, Stack mentions that when Ellen and her assistant returned to Berrymount from Charleston, that they discovered all of the utilities were cut off. Authorities mentioned that her bank accounts were completely depleted and that Tondevold had borrowed money against Berrymount to the tune of $85,000. So at the very least, he did that. I believe he likely used the trip, in part to have all of the utilities turned off since no one would be there.

Any updates on this crazy case?

So many possibilities.

-Ben

Do you still have the Crystal Dawn DVD-R set? If so anyway you could upload somewhere online?

I came here to post this same link without realizing it had already been posted months ago. After reading that article, I am convinced that Tondevold committed suicide. I also am now on the fence as to whether Tondevold defrauded Ellen Berry at all. His suicide note says:



It's possible that Ellen Berry was outspending her finances and gave Tondevold power of attorney in an effort to curb that; but he was much worse in managing the finances.

willing pigeon was a term that was used. I guess the question is did he escape vs. committing suicide. the way he left her was the questionable part, at least as portrayed by UM. decades later we know that UM lacks credibility with the way that they offer alternative theories compared to suicide.

I'm surprised this segment ever even got made, tbh. The ridiculous "could he be her son" angle (which they debunked during the segment) aside, what exactly was the mystery here? Tondevold was his real identity, he left a suicide note behind in his handwriting, a dog was also found shot with his remains with an antique gun that belonged to Ellen Berry, and it was no mystery as to where the money went...so what is there to solve? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the segment and it's one of the most underrated IMO, but the segment is presented with the possibility that Tondevold killed a lookalike and fled, but even that gets debunked in the segment when the coroner says that not one witness placed anyone in the company of Tondevold in South Carolina after Ellen Berry left.

I'm surprised this segment ever even got made, tbh. The ridiculous "could he be her son" angle (which they debunked during the segment) aside, what exactly was the mystery here? Tondevold was his real identity, he left a suicide note behind in his handwriting, a dog was also found shot with his remains with an antique gun that belonged to Ellen Berry, and it was no mystery as to where the money went...so what is there to solve? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the segment and it's one of the most underrated IMO, but the segment is presented with the possibility that Tondevold killed a lookalike and fled, but even that gets debunked in the segment when the coroner says that not one witness placed anyone in the company of Tondevold in South Carolina after Ellen Berry left.

I can see why it was made. The ad in the paper looking for a chaffeur. The fact that Tondevold would be staying behind in South Carolina while Ellen went back to Berrymount. The body being cremated without anyone Tondevold knew to confirm it was his body. It does give a little bit of breathing room to the possibility that it could have been someone else and not Tondevold that was found dead.

I can see why it was made. The ad in the paper looking for a chaffeur. The fact that Tondevold would be staying behind in South Carolina while Ellen went back to Berrymount. The body being cremated without anyone Tondevold knew to confirm it was his body. It does give a little bit of breathing room to the possibility that it could have been someone else and not Tondevold that was found dead.

The ad for the chauffeur was, IMO, a legitimate ad for someone to drive Ellen Berry back to Berrymount with her vehicle because Tondevold knew he was going to commit suicide there in South Carolina. When he didn't find one (or no one answered the ad), he had Ellen Berry and her companion fly back to Berrymount under the ruse that he would drive her car back. The UM segment implies that someone who didn't know him at all identified the body, but that's not entirely accurate. It was someone who didn't know Tondevold personally, but he saw him at the resort multiple times, and in the re-enactment you can hear the security guard who id'ed the body say something to the effect of, "that's the man that called himself Mr. Tondevold". I just don't see how realistic of a scenario it would be to find someone who looked very similar to you with the purpose of murdering them and hoping that someone will misidentify the body.