Grief and Shock as Funeral Home Owners Accused of Abusing Corpses Face Court
Dec 07, 2023, 12:00 PM
In a heart-wrenching courtroom scene, relatives who believed their loved ones may have been among the 190 decomposing bodies discovered at the Return to Nature Funeral Home watched as the owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, appeared before a judge to face a litany of disturbing charges. The Colorado Springs-based funeral home's facility in Penrose, a quiet Rocky Mountain town, became the epicenter of an unprecedented scandal that has left families in turmoil.
Accused of abusing corpses, theft, money laundering, and forgery, the Hallfords stood in orange jail clothes and handcuffs, remaining silent during a brief court hearing. The revelations surrounding the funeral home have sent shockwaves throughout the community.
The disturbing discovery unfolded when investigators unearthed dozens of stacked bodies at the facility, with some dating as far back as 2019, according to federal affidavits. Families who entrusted their loved ones to the funeral home were told that their relatives had been cremated, but court records allege that they received substitute materials, not their loved ones' ashes.
Heather DeWolf, a grieving mother, attended the hearing and held up a photo of her late son, Zach DeWolf, who passed away at the age of 33 in 2020. Return to Nature had handled her son's remains, and she expressed her profound grief and disbelief: "I don’t view them honestly as human at this point. I don’t believe a human could do this." She recalled the heartbreaking moment she rocked a container, thinking it held her son's ashes, only to question its contents now.
While the FBI has privately told many families that their loved ones were among the decaying bodies, the full extent of how the bodies were mishandled remains unknown to the public. Defense attorneys have objected to the unsealing of affidavits, and the decision on whether to make them public awaits a future judge's ruling.
Accused of abusing corpses, theft, money laundering, and forgery, the Hallfords stood in orange jail clothes and handcuffs, remaining silent during a brief court hearing. The revelations surrounding the funeral home have sent shockwaves throughout the community.
The disturbing discovery unfolded when investigators unearthed dozens of stacked bodies at the facility, with some dating as far back as 2019, according to federal affidavits. Families who entrusted their loved ones to the funeral home were told that their relatives had been cremated, but court records allege that they received substitute materials, not their loved ones' ashes.
Heather DeWolf, a grieving mother, attended the hearing and held up a photo of her late son, Zach DeWolf, who passed away at the age of 33 in 2020. Return to Nature had handled her son's remains, and she expressed her profound grief and disbelief: "I don’t view them honestly as human at this point. I don’t believe a human could do this." She recalled the heartbreaking moment she rocked a container, thinking it held her son's ashes, only to question its contents now.
While the FBI has privately told many families that their loved ones were among the decaying bodies, the full extent of how the bodies were mishandled remains unknown to the public. Defense attorneys have objected to the unsealing of affidavits, and the decision on whether to make them public awaits a future judge's ruling.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to demolish the Return to Nature funeral home in Colorado, where authorities uncovered the nearly 200 decaying bodies. Initially, the Fremont County Department of Public Health & Environment declared the funeral home a public health risk, and now the EPA is stepping in to address the hazardous situation. The agency had scheduled an evaluation of the property in mid-November, but the decision to demolish the building in January 2024 was announced last week. The goal is to remove biological and hazardous materials discovered within the structure safely.
The Hallfords were arrested in Oklahoma, where they had allegedly fled to avoid prosecution. They are currently in police custody, held on a $2 million bond each, and face numerous charges, including about 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery.
Jon Hallford is represented by the public defender's office, which has declined to comment on the case. Carie Hallford is being represented by attorney Michael Stuzynski, who has also declined to comment.
In the aftermath of the grim discovery, authorities have been working diligently to identify the remains. Various methods, including fingerprints, dental records, medical hardware, and DNA, are being employed to establish the identities of those affected.
The Hallfords were arrested in Oklahoma, where they had allegedly fled to avoid prosecution. They are currently in police custody, held on a $2 million bond each, and face numerous charges, including about 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery.
Jon Hallford is represented by the public defender's office, which has declined to comment on the case. Carie Hallford is being represented by attorney Michael Stuzynski, who has also declined to comment.
In the aftermath of the grim discovery, authorities have been working diligently to identify the remains. Various methods, including fingerprints, dental records, medical hardware, and DNA, are being employed to establish the identities of those affected.
The shocking revelations have raised questions about the practices of Return to Nature Funeral Home, which offered cremations and "green" burials without embalming fluids. The company, founded in 2017, faced numerous financial crises, including missed tax payments, eviction notices, and lawsuits from suppliers.
When state officials reached out to Jon Hallford after receiving reports of a foul odor, he admitted to having a "problem" at the site and claimed to practice taxidermy there, according to an order dated October 5. However, the extent of the problem and the circumstances surrounding the bodies' mishandling have yet to be fully disclosed to the public.
The FBI's involvement intensified when Jon Hallford ceased using his phone on the day of the funeral home's search, leading authorities to believe he was attempting to evade law enforcement. The subsequent tracking of Carie Hallford's phone to Oklahoma led to the discovery of Jon Hallford's car at his parent's residence and the issuance of a federal court warrant for the couple's arrest.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the nation watches with a mixture of sympathy for the grieving families and a demand for accountability in this deeply disturbing and unprecedented case.
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When state officials reached out to Jon Hallford after receiving reports of a foul odor, he admitted to having a "problem" at the site and claimed to practice taxidermy there, according to an order dated October 5. However, the extent of the problem and the circumstances surrounding the bodies' mishandling have yet to be fully disclosed to the public.
The FBI's involvement intensified when Jon Hallford ceased using his phone on the day of the funeral home's search, leading authorities to believe he was attempting to evade law enforcement. The subsequent tracking of Carie Hallford's phone to Oklahoma led to the discovery of Jon Hallford's car at his parent's residence and the issuance of a federal court warrant for the couple's arrest.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the nation watches with a mixture of sympathy for the grieving families and a demand for accountability in this deeply disturbing and unprecedented case.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com