KKTV Interviews R&H for Legal Insight on Funeral Home Case

A Colorado funeral home operator at the center of one of the state’s most disturbing criminal cases admitted to defrauding grieving families and the federal government in a plea agreement that could send her to prison for up to 20 years.

Carie Hallford, who operated Return to Nature Funeral Home alongside her husband, Jon Hallford, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court. 

Authorities discovered nearly 200 decaying bodies in a Penrose facility they ran, leading to outrage among families who believed their loved ones had been appropriately cremated or buried.

KKTV turned to Robinson & Henry Criminal Defense Partner Ryan Robertson for expert insight as the Colorado funeral home owner pleads guilty to financial crimes.

“She has at least stated that she and her husband engaged in some sort of conspiracy,” said Robertson. “In order to have folks sign up for their services for cremation or burial—persons and loved ones—essentially they took money, but they never actually came through with the burial or cremation.”

Authorities say instead of returning their loved ones' ashes, many customers received urns filled with dry concrete. In 2023, the building that housed the remains was found in extreme disrepair. Some of the bodies had been there for up to four years.  

The case prompted outrage and grief from families across Colorado. Robertson added that there are many details that the victims' families might never know.

“Unfortunately, the critical question of ‘Why did you do this to me? Why did you do this to my family? Unfortunately, they may not get the answer to that question,” said Robertson.

In the federal case, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a 15-year prison sentence for Carie Hallford, though the maximum sentence remains 20 years. She is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

In a separate state case, both Hallfords have been charged with 191 counts of corpse abuse. Jon Hallford has already pleaded guilty to those charges and to one count of federal fraud.