A Colorado funeral home owner has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after authorities discovered 191 decomposing bodies stashed in his facility, revealing a shocking web of deception that included giving families fake ashes and defrauding the government of nearly $900,000.
At a Glance
- Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, received the maximum 20-year sentence for storing 191 decomposing bodies and defrauding families and the government
- Bodies were stored between 2019 and 2023, with families receiving concrete mix instead of actual cremated remains
- He must pay over $1 million in restitution and still faces 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court
- The case has exposed severe gaps in funeral industry regulation and oversight
Maximum Sentence for “Extraordinary” Crimes
Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado, received the maximum 20-year federal prison sentence for his role in storing 191 decomposing bodies and engaging in extensive fraud. Though federal prosecutors initially sought a 15-year sentence, Judge Nina Wang imposed the full 240-month term, citing the extraordinary nature and emotional impact of the crimes that affected hundreds of grieving families.
The horrific discovery came after investigators responded to reports of a foul odor coming from a dilapidated building in Penrose, Colorado. Inside, they found bodies stacked upon each other in various stages of decomposition, with many infested with insects. The storage of bodies occurred between 2019 and 2023, with Hallford initially claiming to be practicing taxidermy at the property when questioned about the smell.
Watch a report: Funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 decomposing bodies sentenced to 20 years in prison
Devastating Deception of Grieving Families
Perhaps most disturbing was Hallford’s systematic deception of grieving families. Rather than cremating bodies as promised, he gave families urns containing dry concrete mix represented as their loved ones’ ashes. In some cases, he even buried the wrong bodies. Victims and their families delivered emotional testimony during the sentencing, describing how the discovery had disrupted their grieving process and forced them to relive their losses.
The Hallfords collected over $130,000 from families for funeral services that were never provided. The case has revealed severe gaps in funeral industry oversight and has prompted calls for stricter regulations to prevent similar situations. Carie Hallford, Jon’s wife and business partner, faces her own trial in September and is also charged with 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court.
COVID-19 Fraud and Luxury Purchases
Beyond the horrific treatment of human remains, Hallford defrauded the U.S. federal government of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 emergency financial assistance. According to prosecutors, the Hallfords submitted fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications and then used the funds to purchase luxury items, including SUVs, cryptocurrency, and expensive goods from high-end retailers like Gucci and Tiffany & Co.
The court ordered Hallford to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Before sentencing, Hallford expressed remorse, though many victims questioned his sincerity given the extensive and prolonged nature of his crimes.
