In a shocking revelation that has rocked the small town of Penrose, Colorado, the owners of a local funeral home have been taken into custody following the gruesome discovery of nearly 200 decaying bodies at their establishment. The incident has cast a grim light on the state’s funeral industry regulations and raised serious questions about the oversight of such sensitive operations.
Jon and Carie Hallford, proprietors of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, now face multiple felony charges, including abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery. The arrests came after authorities were alerted to an “abhorrent smell” emanating from the facility, leading to a police search that uncovered the horrific scene.
🚨🚨🚨Colorado 'green' funeral home owners arrested following discovery of 190 decaying bodies: police
WTF 👀 https://t.co/gqTnuxjEGj
— DK🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 (@1Nicdar) November 8, 2023
The investigation into the funeral home began on October 3rd, when local law enforcement responded to the disturbing reports. Upon entering the premises, they encountered a sight described by Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper as “horrific.” The details of the findings were so unsettling that further specifics were withheld during initial press briefings.
As the inquiry unfolded, it was revealed that the Hallfords had been sued by a crematory that ceased doing business with them. This lawsuit, however, did not prompt immediate regulatory scrutiny, despite the funeral home’s registration expiring the previous November. This lapse in oversight is indicative of broader issues within the state’s regulation of funeral homes, which some have criticized as being insufficiently stringent.
NEW EPISODE – 189 Bodies FOUND: Return To Nature Funeral Home. For 6 years, families in the Colorado Springs area trusted the Return to Nature Funeral Home with the final resting of their loved ones. 👇👇 pic.twitter.com/hHo7QEXkZ0
— Mile Higher Podcast (@MileHigherPod) November 9, 2023
The Return to Nature Funeral Home advertised itself as offering green and natural burial services, which are legal in Colorado. These services allow for bodies to decompose naturally underground without the use of metal caskets or chemicals. However, state law mandates that unembalmed bodies must be refrigerated within 24 hours of death—a requirement that appears to have been grossly neglected in this case.
Adding to the tragedy, some families who entrusted the funeral home with the cremation of their loved ones have come forward with concerns that they may have received counterfeit ashes, with allegations suggesting the remains were substituted with dry concrete.
The task of identifying the victims has been arduous, with the El Paso County Coroner’s Office taking charge of the process. To date, 110 individuals have been identified through fingerprints, dental records, or medical hardware, and 25 bodies have been returned to grieving families. The scale of the operation required a verbal disaster declaration from Governor Jared Polis, enabling additional resources to aid the investigation.
This scandal has not only devastated the affected families but also ignited a statewide conversation about the regulation of funeral homes. It underscores the need for more rigorous oversight and accountability in an industry that deals with matters of utmost sensitivity. As the community grapples with the fallout, there is a collective call for justice and a demand for measures that will prevent such a tragedy from occurring again.
