The owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, Jon, and Carie Hallford, are facing severe legal consequences after the discovery of 189 unattended bodies at their storage facility in Penrose, Colorado on October 4, 2023.

The couple is currently facing multiple charges, including four instances of money laundering, five of theft, 190 of corpse abuse, and over 50 of forgery. This information was detailed by the prosecuting attorneys and FBI Agent Andrew Cohen in a court hearing on Thursday, February 8, 2024.

The case began when foul odors, reported by Penrose residents, led to the disturbing discovery of the bodies, some of which had been neglected since 2019, in a building infested with maggots.

The shocking find has not only upset the local community but has also thrown many grieving families into chaos. This is especially true for families who had hired the Hallfords for cremation services, only to find out their loved ones were among those improperly stored.

The evidence presented during the hearing depicted a dismal representation of the Hallfords’ operation of the funeral home.

Special Agent Cohen testified about the misuse of business funds for personal expenses, such as buying two luxury vehicles, a GMC Yukon and an Infiniti, worth over $120,000, extravagant dinners, including a $1500 meal in Las Vegas, and investments in cryptocurrency. This paints a stark contrast between the Hallfords’ lifestyle and the horrifying neglect at their Penrose facility.

This amount of money could have covered the cremation costs for all discovered bodies twice over.

Despite the serious allegations against him, Jon Hallford showed no visible reaction to the charges during his court appearance.

The investigation into the Hallfords’ business activities revealed a pattern of financial mismanagement, including fraudulently obtaining a pandemic-era loan from the Small Business Administration.

Allegedly, Jon Hallford made false statements about his child support payments to secure these funds, adding another layer to the couple’s legal challenges.

Prosecutors have also unearthed attempts by the Hallfords to hide their financial difficulties, including plans discussed in text messages to illegally dispose of bodies to avoid detection and prosecution.

In response to the money laundering charges, the defense argued that there is no evidence of intent to hide the source of funds, specifically pointing out the Yukon purchase, which they claim was made with legitimate business proceeds.

Following the hearing, a tense moment unfolded outside the courthouse when victims’ families confronted Jon Hallford, demanding answers about their loved ones.

Heather DeWolf, still waiting for her son Zach DeWolf’s remains to be identified, confronted Jon Hallford alongside other aggrieved family members as he was leaving with his lawyers.

“Look at my son, this is my son,” DeWolf yelled towards Hallford, holding a shirt with her son’s picture. “What have you done with him? Tell me what happened to my son!”

Crystina Page, who is also mourning her son David Page, criticized Hallford for not responding to their pleas. “Jon, we’re right here, only a few steps away. Why won’t you respond to us?

Angelika Stedman, another grieving parent, is still unsure about her daughter’s final disposition, embodying the pain of many who trusted Return to Nature with their loved ones’ remains.

The process of identifying the remains is ongoing, with 22 bodies still unidentified.

The Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office is urging families who did business with the funeral home to come forward, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation in resolving the case.

Jon and Carie Hallford are expected to return to court for an arraignment hearing on March 21, with both planning to enter not-guilty pleas.

The prosecution is pushing to combine the cases against the Hallfords for the trial, in an effort to thoroughly examine the allegations against them.