FBI agents, upon entering a funeral home in Colorado where they discovered nearly 200 neglected bodies, were met with a horrific scene of piled-up human remains, floors covered in bodily fluids, and infestations of flies and maggots.
Text messages exchanged between the funeral home owners revealed their increasing financial strain and concerns about being discovered for their mismanagement of the bodies. As the number of unattended bodies grew, one owner proposed disposing of them through burial with lye or incineration.
FBI Agent Andrew Cohen reported finding 23 bodies dated back to 2019 and 61 from 2020, including adults, infants, and fetuses, all stored at room temperature in a dilapidated building in Penrose, a small town in the Rocky Mountains. Cohen described the scene as unforgettable.
Investigators also uncovered animal remains, bags of concrete, and cases where grieving families received false ashes instead of their loved ones’ cremated remains. In November, police arrested Carie and Jon Hallford in Oklahoma, the owners who had allegedly fled Colorado.
The bodies were found in early October following complaints of a foul odor near the building, situated in a sparse area with few neighboring homes. The Hallfords face numerous charges, including corpse abuse, theft, money laundering, and document forgery, relating to their operation of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs and Penrose.
During a hearing for one of the co-owners, defense attorney Michael Stuzynski did not dispute most evidence presented, except questioning cell phone data placing Carie Hallford at the Penrose facility. Jon Hallford’s bond was reduced to $100,000 from $2 million, and he remains in custody.
The FBI has informed families who engaged Return to Nature for cremation services that their relatives’ remains were among those found. The incriminating texts reveal Jon Hallford’s concerns about getting caught as early as 2020. Texts discussed selling assets to cover expenses and fears of exposure. One text suggested various methods for disposing of the bodies.
Ongoing Investigations and Forensic Efforts in Funeral Home Case
Further investigation into the mishandling of the bodies is ongoing, with defense attorneys objecting to the release of case affidavits. Efforts are underway to identify the bodies using various forensic methods, and plans are in place to demolish the building where they were found.
Among the bodies was a former army sergeant first class, initially believed to be buried in a veterans’ cemetery. However, upon exhumation, a different person’s remains were found in the casket. The veteran later received a proper military funeral.
In December, relatives who suspected their loved ones were among those mishandled attended a court hearing involving the Halfords, with one woman displaying a photo of her late son.
Established in 2017, the funeral home specializes in cremations and environmentally friendly burials. Records show that the Hallfords faced financial difficulties, including missed tax payments, eviction, and lawsuits for unpaid bills.
