A couple of funeral homes in the US state of Colorado literally had so many bodies in their basement that at one point it smelled heavenly. Instead of cremating the deceased, they kept them at room temperature. The survivors were given urns that contained dry concrete instead of ashes.
In early October 2023, police found the remains of 190 decomposing people at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in the small town of Penrose near Colorado Springs after reports of odors on the property.
A month later, the Colorado Springs district attorney’s office said the funeral home’s two owners, Carie and Jon Hallford, were suspected of multiple crimes, including theft, forgery and mishandling of corpses. The duo was arrested and taken into custody.
Bodies were stored at room temperature
According to authorities, the bodies were stored incorrectly: at room temperature. The sheriff responsible described the discovery as ‘horrifying’ and ‘disturbing’. The bodies were removed and gradually identified to notify family members.
“The bodies were on the floor, stacked on shelves, placed on stretchers, stacked on top of each other or simply stacked in rooms.” This is how the public prosecutor described the image that was presented to the investigators.
Instead of ashes, dry concrete was filled into urns
The Hallfords treated themselves to vacations, luxury cars and expensive cosmetic treatments, using their clients’ money and abusing Corona relief (approximately $900,000). They saved the expense of cremating the dead. They still gave urns to the relatives of the dead, but these contained not ashes, but dry concrete.
The couple pleaded guilty to desecrating corpses
The couple now pleaded guilty in court to desecrating corpses: the Hallfords also agreed to pay damages in an as yet undisclosed amount. In return, prosecutors dropped further charges of theft, forgery and money laundering.
As part of the agreements, Jon Hallford will be sentenced to twenty years in prison, while his wife Carie will serve fifteen to twenty years behind bars. The verdict in the spectacular case is scheduled for April 18.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
