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9mo ago

Colorado Funeral Home Owners Ordered to Pay $950M After 190 Bodies Found Decaying

Return to Nature Funeral Home's owners face financial ruin and extensive criminal charges, making the payout unlikely.

FILE - This combination of booking photos provided by the Muskogee County, Okla., Sheriff's Office shows Jon Hallford, left, and Carie Hallford, the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home. The couple who owned the Colorado funeral home — where 190 decaying bodies were discovered last year — have been indicted on federal charges for fraudulently obtaining nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds from the U.S. government, according to court documents unsealed Monday, April 15, 2024. (Muskogee County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
A hearse sits outside the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo. on Oct. 6, 2023. The owners were accused of storing about 200 decaying bodies and sending families fake ashes.
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Overview

  • A class-action lawsuit resulted in a historic judgment against Jon and Carie Hallford.
  • The funeral home owners allegedly provided fake ashes to families instead of cremating bodies.
  • Investigations revealed nearly 200 bodies improperly stored at the facility in Penrose, Colorado.
  • The Hallfords face hundreds of state and federal criminal charges, including abuse of a corpse and fraud.
  • New legislation will require stricter regulations for funeral homes in Colorado starting in 2026.