A federal judge has canceled the October trial date for Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado, and set change-of-plea hearings in their fraud case. The couple, facing multiple charges, was accused of misusing nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds and engaging in fraudulent activities linked to their funeral home, where authorities discovered 190 decaying bodies.
Fraud Allegations and Indictment
In April, Jon and Carie Hallford were indicted on fraud charges, accused of spending pandemic relief money on personal luxuries such as vacations and jewelry. The indictment also claims they deceived grieving families by giving them dry concrete instead of cremated ashes and, in two cases, burying the wrong body. Additionally, the couple allegedly collected over $130,000 from families for cremations and burial services they never fulfilled.
Separate Criminal Counts
The 15 federal charges are distinct from more than 200 state criminal counts the Hallfords are facing, including corpse abuse, money laundering, theft, and forgery.
Change-of-Plea Hearings
Carie Hallford filed a statement last Thursday indicating that a resolution had been reached in the federal case, and requested a change-of-plea hearing. Jon Hallford also submitted a request for a hearing regarding a proposed plea agreement. As a result, the federal judge vacated the original trial date of October 15 and scheduled change-of-plea hearings for October 24.
Pending State Charges
While the federal fraud case appears to be approaching resolution, the Hallfords still face serious legal challenges at the state level. The discovery of 190 bodies at their Penrose funeral home has led to widespread public outrage and additional charges related to the alleged mishandling of remains.
