Colorado funeral home owners arrested in Oklahoma after 189 decaying bodies discovered

Krystal Nurse, The Oklahoman
·3 min read
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A hearse and debris can be seen at the rear of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo. Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Authorities said Thursday they were investigating the improper storage of human remains at a southern Colorado funeral home that performs “green” burials without embalming chemicals or metal caskets. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP)

Authorities have arrested the owner of a Colorado funeral home and his wife in connection with an investigation into nearly 200 bodies that were found improperly stored.

According to a press release by the district attorney's office for Colorado's 4th Judicial District, Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested in Wagoner, Oklahoma, which is about 40 miles east of Tulsa. They face charges of abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering and forgery.

Families whose loved ones were victims in the Penrose Funeral Home investigation were notified of the arrest on Wednesday.

Jon Hallford is listed as the owner of the business, according to Colorado Secretary of State records.

The funeral home is located in Penrose, Colorado, about 33 miles southwest of Colorado Springs.

According to the press release, Colorado's Fourth Judicial District Attorney's office will review the case and file appropriate charges for El Paso County.

"In the meantime, investigators from multiple agencies continue their work to identify bodies discovered during this investigation," the release read. "If you or someone you know worked with the Return to Nature Funeral Home between September 2019 and September 2023, please complete the Seeking Victim Information Questionnaire."

District Attorney Michael Allen declined to elaborate at a Wednesday news conference why the timeline covers a four-year period. He added an Oklahoma judge will decide on the couple's extradition to Colorado, whether or not they contest it.

He clarified that because Return to Nature Funeral Home is centered in Colorado Springs, that gave his office jurisdiction over the investigation.

The probable cause affidavit, a document that lists how authorities came to charges against a person, is sealed and won't be unsealed, Allen said.

A sign covers the broken back window of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. The remains of at least 189 decaying bodies were found and removed from the Colorado funeral home, up from about 115 reported when the bodies were discovered two weeks ago, officials said Tuesday, Oct. 17. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A sign covers the broken back window of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo., Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. The remains of at least 189 decaying bodies were found and removed from the Colorado funeral home, up from about 115 reported when the bodies were discovered two weeks ago, officials said Tuesday, Oct. 17. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Neither of the Hallfords responded to USA TODAY's requests for comment Wednesday. It's unclear if they have an attorney who can comment on their behalf.

Allen said the couple is being held on a $2 million cash bond, each.

Authorities in October removed at least 189 bodies from the funeral weeks after neighbors reported smelling a foul odor. Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper and Coroner Randy Keller said in a joint release on Oct. 17 that all remains were removed on Oct. 13.

Investigators have said the total number of bodies found in the facility could change as they continue investigating and identifying the remains. As of Wednesday, Keller said his office is still identifying the remains, using medical and dental records but finally resorting to DNA records.

The website for Return to Nature Funeral Home has been offline since at least Oct. 31. According to the Wayback Machine, an internet archive website, the funeral home's website was last active on Oct. 18.

The Facebook page and phone number connected to the funeral home have also been inactive since the end of October. The funeral home has been in business since 2017, according to public records, and has locations in Colorado Springs and Penrose.

Return to Nature Funeral Home is known for having "green" burials where embalming chemicals or metal caskets are used. A burial there costs about $1,895 and doesn't include the casket and cemetery space, according to an archive of the website.

Contributing: Thao Nguyen, Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Associated Press

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Colorado funeral home couple arrested after nearly 200 bodies found