COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A Colorado funeral home owner was sentenced to 40 years in state prison Friday after stashing 189 decomposing bodies in a building over four years and providing grieving families with fake ashes.
Jon Hallford, 46, listened as family members addressed Judge Eric Bentley, recounting nightmares of decomposing flesh and maggots after discovering the extent of his deception. Many described him as a “monster” and pleaded for the maximum 50-year sentence.
Judge Bentley, while acknowledging the profound harm caused, sentenced Hallford to 40 years, stating, “It is my personal belief that every one of us, every human being, is basically good at the core, but we live in a world that tests that belief every day, and Mr. Hallford, your crimes are testing that belief.”
Hallford offered an apology before sentencing, expressing regret that would last a lifetime. “I had so many chances to put a stop to everything and walk away, but I did not,” he said. “My mistakes will echo for a generation. Everything I did was wrong.”
‘Motivated by Greed’
Defense counsel had argued for a 30-year sentence, citing the absence of a violent crime and Hallford’s lack of prior criminal record. However, prosecutors presented evidence suggesting the scheme was driven by financial gain.
Hallford’s former wife and co-owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, Carie Hallford, 49, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24 and faces a potential prison term of 25 to 35 years. Both pleaded guilty in December to nearly 200 counts of corpse abuse as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Court documents revealed the Hallfords used the illicit profits to fund a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a GMC Yukon and an Infiniti totaling over $120,000, $31,000 in cryptocurrency, and expensive items from luxury retailers like Gucci and Tiffany & Co., as well as laser body sculpting treatments.
“Clearly this is a crime motivated by greed,” prosecutor Shelby Crow stated. She pointed out that the couple charged over $1,200 per customer, and the funds they spent on luxury goods could have covered the cost of proper cremation for all the bodies many times over.
The Hallfords also pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges, admitting to defrauding the government of nearly $900,000 in pandemic-era small business aid. Jon Hallford is already serving a 20-year sentence in connection with the federal case, and Carie Hallford’s sentencing in that matter is still pending. The state and federal sentences are to be served concurrently.
Heartbroken Families
Kelly Mackeen, whose mother’s remains were entrusted to Return to Nature, shared her anguish during the sentencing hearing. “I’m a daughter whose mother was treated like yesterday’s trash and dumped in a site left to rot with hundreds of others,” she said, adding, “I’m heartbroken, and I ask God every day for grace.”
The courtroom was filled with relatives of the deceased, many visibly distressed as they recounted their experiences. Hallford sat silently at a table, looking straight ahead.
Investigators discovered the disturbing scene at the Return to Nature facility in Penrose, Colorado, in 2023, after responding to reports of a foul odor emanating from the building. Bodies were found stacked on top of each other, covered in decomposition fluid and swarming with insects. The remains, which included adults, infants, and fetuses, were stored at room temperature.
Authorities believe the Hallfords deceived families by providing them with dry concrete resembling ashes. The realization that they had not received their loved ones’ remains caused immense pain and disrupted the grieving process for many, leading to nightmares and feelings of guilt.
Lax Regulations
The case brought to light deficiencies in Colorado’s oversight of funeral homes, prompting changes to state regulations. One of the recovered bodies belonged to a former Army sergeant first class who was believed to have been buried at a veterans cemetery. However, investigators discovered a different individual’s remains in the casket, and the veteran was later given a proper military funeral at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.
Prior to the discovery of the abuse, public records indicated the Hallfords had a history of financial difficulties, including missed tax payments, evictions, and lawsuits for unpaid bills.
Judge Bentley had previously rejected earlier plea agreements between the Hallfords and prosecutors, deeming them too lenient in light of the severity of the crimes. Family members of the victims had voiced similar concerns.
