A Colorado funeral home owner has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after stashing 191 dead bodies on his property. Jon Hallford, who operated the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, was found guilty of defrauding families and the federal government. The sentencing took place on a Friday, where U.S. District Judge Nina Wang emphasized the severity of Hallford’s actions and the emotional harm caused to grieving families.
Hallford and his wife, Carie, were reported to authorities in 2023 due to a foul odor coming from their dilapidated funeral home. Investigators discovered bodies stacked in unsanitary conditions, making parts of the building inaccessible. Many families were shocked to learn that the ashes they received were fake, with some urns filled with concrete instead of remains. In two cases, the wrong bodies were buried.
In addition to his prison sentence, Hallford pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and is set for sentencing on those charges in August. His wife, Carie, is facing trial in September for similar charges.
The couple also defrauded the federal government out of nearly $900,000 through fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications. They used the funds to buy luxury items and SUVs, rather than helping families in need. Hallford was ordered to pay over $1 million in restitution for his crimes, which included collecting more than $130,000 from families for services that were never provided.
Before his sentencing, Hallford expressed remorse, stating he intended to make a positive impact but lost control of the situation. The case has raised serious concerns about the practices of funeral homes and the trust families place in them during difficult times.