Owners allegedly defrauded customers, stashed 190 bodies, and sent fake ashes
Denver, CO — Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of the Colorado-based Return to Nature Funeral Home, have pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges after allegedly misusing nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds while storing the decaying remains of 190 people. As part of their plea deal, the Hallfords admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and prosecutors agreed not to seek more than 15 years in prison for each, pending judicial approval.
Lavish spending and misuse of funds
Federal prosecutors claim that instead of providing legitimate funeral services, the Hallfords used funds intended for their business and relief aid to finance a luxury lifestyle. According to court documents, they purchased high-end vehicles, including a GMC Yukon and an Infiniti. They spent lavishly on designer items at Gucci and Tiffany & Co., paid for laser body sculpting, and took trips to Las Vegas, California, and Florida. Records also show that they invested $31,000 in cryptocurrency.
Charges related to corpse abuse and fraudulent cremations
The Return to Nature Funeral Home, located in Penrose—about an hour from Denver—became the focus of federal and state investigations following the discovery of bodies in severe states of decay. Some bodies were stacked on each other, left untouched for years in a building infested with bugs, according to court filings. The Hallfords are also facing more than 200 criminal charges in Colorado, including corpse abuse and forgery.
An investigation by the Associated Press revealed the Hallfords may have falsified cremation records, sending grieving families bags containing concrete dust instead of actual remains.
Heartbreak for families and calls for reform
In court, family members of the deceased spoke out about the traumatic experience of learning that their loved ones’ bodies were mishandled. Crystina Page, whose son’s body remained in the Penrose facility after his 2019 death, expressed deep pain and horror over the conditions his body endured. “My son was one of those victims; he lost 60% of his body weight,” she said. “Rats and maggots ate his face.”
The case has led Colorado lawmakers to strengthen funeral home regulations, requiring inspections and licensing in an effort to prevent future abuses.