Funeral home owner learns fate after abusing nearly 200 corpses, bilking service funds

A Colorado funeral home owner who left nearly 200 bodies to decompose, gave grieving families fake ashes, and spent funeral money on personal luxuries was sentenced Friday to 40 years in prison.

Jon Hallford, part of a couple responsible for the scheme, received the sentence—just 10 years short of the maximum that victims urged the judge to impose. His ex-wife, Carie Hallford, was also involved; her sentencing is still pending.

Family members filled the courtroom to hear Jon’s fate. Many spoke during sentencing about the lasting trauma caused by the Hallfords’ actions, describing recurring nightmares, the smell of decay, and the pain of knowing their loved ones were left to rot. Judge Eric Bentley described Jon’s conduct as causing “unspeakable and incomprehensible” harm.

Jon offered a brief apology, admitting he “had so many chances to put a stop to everything” but did not act. His words appeared to have little impact on the victims, who confronted him in the courtroom.

Collage of mugshots of two individuals in orange jumpsuits, a man on the left and a woman on the right. — Jon and Carie Hallford abused 189 corpses through their funeral home service in Colorado. AP

The Hallfords ran the Return to Nature funeral home, and from 2019 to 2023, they stored bodies in a separate 2,500-square-foot building instead of properly handling them. The corpses accumulated in the room-temperature space, attracting insects and maggots. Victims ranged in age from infants to adults.

Authorities discovered the horrific scene after receiving complaints about a foul odor. It took months to identify the bodies and notify families, who were given dry concrete instead of cremated ashes.

A person with a purple face mask and long hair with a shaved side hugs a woman with long gray hair and a red top. — The judge overseeing Jon’s sentencing concluded he had caused “unspeakable and incomprehensible” harm. AP

Meanwhile, Jon used the money families paid for funeral services on luxury cars, cryptocurrency, designer goods, and even laser body sculpting treatments, while neglecting bills. Families were charged up to $1,895 for supposed biodegradable cremation or interment services.

In December, Jon and Carie pleaded guilty to 189 counts of corpse abuse. Carie faces a maximum of 35 years in prison when sentenced on April 24.

The couple also pleaded guilty to federal fraud for misusing $900,000 in pandemic-era small business aid. Jon received a separate 20-year sentence for that case; Carie’s sentencing remains pending.