A Colorado funeral home owner was sentenced to 40 years in state prison Friday for improperly storing nearly 200 bodies and providing families with fake ashes. Jon Hallford, who owned Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs with his then-wife Carie, pleaded guilty in December to nearly 200 counts of corpse abuse.
The Scope of the Abuse
Investigators discovered the decomposing bodies in 2023 after reports of a foul odor. For four years, Hallford and his wife stashed 189 bodies in a building. Families were given ashes that were not those of their loved ones.
During the sentencing hearing, family members described recurring nightmares about decomposing flesh, and maggots. They called Hallford a “monster” and “vile,” urging the judge to impose the maximum sentence of 50 years. Hallford apologized before sentencing, stating he would regret his actions for the rest of his life.
Financial Motives and Additional Charges
Prosecutors stated the crime was “clearly…motivated by greed.” The Hallfords charged over $1,200 per customer, and the money spent on luxury items could have covered the cost of cremation for all the bodies. The couple also pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges for defrauding the government out of nearly $900,000 in pandemic-era modest business aid. Jon Hallford is already serving a 20-year sentence in that case.
Carie Hallford, Jon Hallford’s former wife and co-owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, is scheduled to be sentenced April 24 and faces 25 to 35 years in prison.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bodies were found at the Return to Nature Funeral Home?
Investigators discovered 189 decomposing bodies at the Return to Nature Funeral Home.
What charges did Jon Hallford plead guilty to?
Jon Hallford pleaded guilty to nearly 200 counts of corpse abuse and federal fraud charges.
What sentence did Jon Hallford receive?
Jon Hallford was sentenced to 40 years in state prison for corpse abuse, in addition to a 20-year sentence for federal fraud.
As Carie Hallford awaits sentencing, what lasting impact will this scandal have on the families affected and the trust placed in funeral homes?
