The owner of a Colorado funeral home, Jon Hallford, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his involvement in a shocking case of fraud and deception. Hallford was found guilty of stashing nearly 190 dead bodies in a dilapidated building, sending grieving families fake ashes, and defrauding the federal government of almost $900,000 in COVID-19 aid.
Hallford, who owned Return to Nature Funeral Home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court last year. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and is awaiting sentencing in August.
During the sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors requested a 15-year sentence for Hallford, while his attorney asked for 10 years. However, Judge Nina Wang deemed the circumstances and scale of Hallford’s crimes, along with the emotional impact on families, deserving of the maximum sentence.
In a statement before the sentencing, Hallford expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging that his intentions to make a positive impact through the funeral home had spiraled out of control. He expressed deep regret for the harm caused to families and admitted to hating himself for his actions.
The investigation into Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, revealed that they stored bodies between 2019 and 2023, with some bodies stacked on top of each other in a bug-infested building in Penrose. Families were shocked to discover that their loved ones had not been cremated, and the ashes they received were fake. In some cases, the wrong bodies were even buried.
The impact on the affected families was profound, with many experiencing nightmares, guilt, and questioning the fate of their loved ones’ souls. One victim, a boy named Colton Sperry, shared his heartbreaking story of his grandmother’s body being left in the funeral home for four years, leading to his struggle with depression.
Federal prosecutors also accused the Hallfords of pandemic aid fraud, using the funds for personal luxuries like a GMC Yukon, cryptocurrency, and designer items. Testimonies from impacted families highlighted the emotional toll of the deception, with one individual expressing anguish over his mother being left in a “festering sea of death.”
Hallford’s attorney argued for a lower sentence, emphasizing his client’s remorse and acceptance of responsibility. However, Assistant US Attorney Tim Neff described the gruesome scene inside the building, where bodies were piled high and in various stages of decay.
Carie Hallford is set to stand trial in the federal case in September, facing similar charges of corpse abuse in the state case. The sentencing of Jon Hallford serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of exploiting vulnerable families during their time of mourning.
