Colorado Funeral Home Owner Sentenced in 189-Body Case

A Colorado funeral home owner who horrified families and authorities by storing nearly 200 decomposing bodies for years will be sentenced Friday, marking another step in one of the state’s most disturbing criminal cases.

Jon Hallford, co-owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs, faces between 30 and 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to 189 counts of corpse abuse. Prosecutors say Hallford and his then-wife, Carie Hallford, stored bodies in a building in the small town of Penrose from 2019 to 2023, instead of properly cremating or burying them as promised to families.

Discovery of the Bodies

The ghastly discovery was made in October 2023, when officials received reports of a powerful and awful odor emanating from the building. Investigators later found human remains stacked inside the facility, with bodies piled on top of one another.

All the remains—including adults, babies, and fetuses—were stored at room temperature with no preservation. Authorities believe the Hallfords deceived families by giving them fake ashes made of dry concrete rather than real cremated remains.

In the months that followed, officials worked to identify the bodies using fingerprints, DNA testing, and other forensic methods.

Families Re-Traumatized

For families, the revelations reopened wounds that had only begun to heal. Some relatives have described nightmares, guilt, and a sense of failure after learning they had scattered or kept ashes that were not their loved ones.

Carie Hallford, who also pleaded guilty to nearly 200 counts of corpse abuse, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24 and faces 25 to 35 years in prison.

Federal Fraud and Lavish Spending

In addition to the state charges, the Hallfords pleaded guilty to federal fraud after prosecutors said they improperly obtained nearly $900,000 in pandemic-era small business aid. Jon Hallford was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison last June, a term he is already serving.

At that sentencing, Hallford told the judge he had started Return to Nature with good intentions but lost control. “Everything got completely out of control, especially me,” he said. “I still hate myself for what I’ve done.”

Court records show that despite failing to perform basic funeral services, the Hallfords lived lavishly. Prosecutors said they spent large sums on luxury goods from Gucci and Tiffany & Co., cosmetic body-sculpting treatments, cryptocurrency investments, and two high-end vehicles worth more than $120,000 combined.

A Veteran’s Remains and Systemic Failures

One particularly painful case involved a former Army sergeant first class whose family believed he had been buried at a veterans cemetery. FBI agent Andrew Cohen testified that when investigators exhumed the grave, the remains belonged to someone of a different gender. The veteran was later properly identified and reburied with full military honors at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.

The scandal exposed major gaps in Colorado’s oversight of funeral homes. At the time, the state had some of the weakest regulations in the nation. Lawmakers have since passed reforms strengthening inspections and licensing requirements.

Public records also revealed that the Hallfords faced mounting financial troubles, including missed tax payments, evictions, and lawsuits over unpaid bills.

Sentencing and Accountability

Last year, District Judge Eric Bentley rejected earlier plea deals that would have capped prison sentences at 20 years. Families of the victims told the court those agreements failed to reflect the magnitude of the harm.

Friday’s sentencing is expected to include emotional testimony from relatives of the deceased. For families who entrusted their loved ones to Return to Nature Funeral Home, the punishment will not undo the damage—but it may provide a measure of accountability for a betrayal that struck at the heart of grief, dignity, and trust.