Colorado funeral home owner Jon Hallford will spend the next 20 years in prison after being caught storing nearly 200 decomposing bodies while giving grieving families concrete mix as fake ashes of their loved ones.
Key Takeaways
- Jon Hallford received the maximum 20-year sentence for storing nearly 190 decomposing bodies in a decrepit building while giving families fake ashes made of concrete mix
- The funeral home owner defrauded the federal government of $900,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, spending the money on luxury items like SUVs, cryptocurrency, and designer goods
- Hallford collected over $130,000 from families for funeral services never provided and must pay over $1 million in restitution
- His wife, Carie Hallford, faces trial in September on similar charges, including 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court
- Thirteen victim impact statements revealed the devastating emotional toll on families who were forced to grieve their loved ones twice
Horrific Betrayal of Trust and Dignity
In one of the most disturbing cases of funeral industry misconduct in recent memory, Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for stashing nearly 190 decomposing bodies and defrauding both grieving families and the U.S. government. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Nina Wang, exceeded prosecutors’ recommendation of 15 years and doubled what the defense requested, reflecting the egregious nature of Hallford’s crimes that went beyond simple fraud to inflict profound emotional trauma on hundreds of families.
Authorities discovered the bodies between 2019 and 2023 in a collapsing, bug-infested building in Penrose, Colorado. Instead of providing proper cremation services as promised, Hallford stored the bodies in deplorable conditions while giving families containers of fake ashes—often nothing more than dry concrete mix. The Fremont County Sheriff described the scene as “horrific,” a sentiment echoed by prosecutors who emphasized that “this goes into a whole other realm” beyond ordinary fraud cases.
COVID-19 Fraud and Luxury Spending
The investigation revealed that Hallford’s crimes extended far beyond corpse abuse. He also defrauded the federal government of nearly $900,000 through fraudulent COVID-19 emergency financial assistance applications. Rather than using these taxpayer funds for legitimate business purposes, Hallford and his wife purchased luxury SUVs, cryptocurrency, and expensive items from high-end retailers like Gucci and Tiffany & Co. This blatant misuse of pandemic relief funds designed to help struggling businesses showcases a pattern of calculated deception and financial exploitation.
“Defrauded the Small Business Administration through fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications,” stated the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Colorado.
In addition to the federal sentence, Hallford was ordered to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He has also pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in a separate state case, with sentencing scheduled for August. His wife, Carie Hallford, faces trial in the federal case in September and is also charged with 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court. The couple collected over $130,000 from families for funeral services that were never provided.
Devastating Impact on Grieving Families
The emotional impact of Hallford’s crimes on families cannot be overstated. Thirteen victim impact statements presented during the trial revealed how Hallford’s betrayal forced families to grieve their loved ones twice—once at the initial death and again when they discovered the horrific truth about what had really happened to the remains. One particularly heartbreaking testimony came from a young boy named Colton Sperry, who expressed suicidal thoughts after learning about the mistreatment of his grandmother’s remains.
“If I die too, I could meet my grandma in heaven and talk to her again,” said Colton Sperry.
When authorities discovered the bodies, Hallford initially claimed he practiced taxidermy at the property—a transparent lie that quickly unraveled. Judge Wang characterized the case as extraordinary, stating, “This is not an ordinary fraud case.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office further explained the nature of Hallford’s crimes, noting, “Instead of ensuring proper disposition of the remains, Hallford allowed bodies to accumulate in various states of decay and decomposition inside the funeral home’s facility.”
Feigned Remorse and Maximum Punishment
Before sentencing, Hallford expressed what appeared to be remorse, claiming he had intended to make a positive impact but lost control. “I am so deeply sorry for my actions, I still hate myself for what I’ve done,” Hallford told the court. His attorneys acknowledged in court filings that “Mr. Hallford does not disagree that his conduct was abhorrent, indecent, and caused grave harm to many.” However, Judge Wang’s decision to impose the maximum sentence suggests the court found these expressions of remorse insufficient given the calculated nature and extensive duration of his crimes.
This case highlights a critical lack of regulatory oversight in the funeral industry that allowed such egregious abuses to continue for years. The 20-year sentence sends a strong message about the consequences of exploiting vulnerable families during their time of grief and misusing government pandemic aid meant to help legitimate businesses during a national crisis. It also underscores the need for stricter industry regulations and more rigorous oversight to prevent similar horrors from occurring in the future.
