Colorado Funeral Home Owners Accused of Misusing Payments for Cremations

Two Colorado funeral home owners are under scrutiny for allegedly mishandling payments designated for cremations and burials. FBI Agent Andrew Cohen stated in court that Jon and Carie Hallford used funds from families to purchase personal items, including vehicles and a lavish dinner in Las Vegas. This revelation follows the discovery of almost 200 decomposing bodies in their business’ storage facility in Penrose, Colorado last October.

During the hearing, it was disclosed that the Hallfords had used payments from families to buy two vehicles, amounting to over $120,000. This amount would have covered cremation costs for all of the bodies found in their facility. Some of the bodies had been left in the building for years, and were only found due to reports of a foul odour in the area. Families who had contracted with Return to Nature funeral home for cremation have been notified by the FBI that their relatives’ remains were among those found.

The Hallfords’ spending practices were revealed during the court proceedings, leading a judge to determine that there was enough evidence for Jon Hallford to stand trial on criminal charges. His lawyer refuted the prosecution’s claims, stating that the funds in question were not used to conceal the source of the money, and that the purchase of the vehicles was made using government assistance.

Both Jon and Carie Hallford face multiple charges, including abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery. Prosecutors also presented evidence suggesting that the couple had attempted to cover up their financial difficulties by leaving the bodies at the Penrose site. Text messages revealed by prosecutors indicated that Jon Hallford had expressed concerns about the situation as early as 2020 and had considered disposing of the bodies through various means.

Jon Hallford has been released on bond, while Carie Hallford remains in jail pending trial. The investigation into this troubling case continues as authorities endeavour to uncover the full extent of the alleged misconduct.

This report includes contributions from Matthew Brown in Billings, Montana.