“Colorado Funeral Home Owners Plead
Colorado’s “Green” Funeral Home Scandal Exposes Deep Betrayal
A Colorado couple’s promise of eco-friendly burials turned into a shocking case of deception.
Jon and Carie Hallford, owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home,
pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse after nearly 200 decaying bodies were found in their facility.
Investigators discovered bodies “neglected for as long as four years,”
urns filled with concrete instead of ashes, and families given the wrong remains.
“The pain for the families is beyond measure,” said District Attorney Michael Allen.
The Hallfords also admitted to defrauding families and stealing $800,000 in pandemic relief funds,
which they spent on vacations and luxury goods.
They face 15–20 years in prison, with sentencing set for April.
The scandal revealed major gaps in Colorado’s laws—funeral homes don’t need licenses or training.
Lawmakers now vow reform to ensure “respect for the dead and peace for the living.”
