Colorado Funeral Home Owners Arrested After Improperly Storing 190 Decaying Bodies

Owners Jon and Carie Hallford of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, which claimed to provide environmentally friendly "green" burials, face charges including abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery, following the discovery of 190 improperly stored bodies, marking one of the largest investigations of its kind in Colorado.

Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado, were arrested in Oklahoma on charges including abuse of a corpse, theft, money laundering, and forgery following the discovery of 190 decaying bodies improperly stored at their funeral home.
The investigation into the improper storing of bodies began after authorities received reports of a foul odor coming from the facility in early October; 115 bodies were initially discovered, but further investigation led the count to rise to 189 and finally 190.
110 of the bodies discovered have been identified using dental records, fingerprints, or medical hardware and 25 of these have been released back to their families. The identification process continues and may lead to additional charges.
Return to Nature Funeral Home, which opened in 2017, offered 'green burials' without embalming fluids. Despite growing financial and legal problems, including missed tax payments, evictions, and lawsuits for unpaid bills, the business continued to operate.
Authorities have criticized Colorado's weak oversight of funeral homes, as there are no routine inspections or qualification requirements for funeral home operators. State regulators did not visit or contact the Hallfords until 10 months after the funeral home's registration expired in November 2022.