A funeral home trusted by grieving families hid a horrifying secret — with nearly 200 bodies left to rot while loved ones were handed fake ashes. In October 2023, officials in Penrose began receiving complaints of an “abhorrent” smell coming from a building linked to Return to Nature Funeral Home.
The business, run by married couple Jon and Carie Hallford, marketed itself as an affordable, eco-friendly alternative, specialising in “green burials” that avoided the use of embalming chemicals. While Carie was the face of the business, guiding clients and covering paperwork, Jon was more behind the scenes and managed the technical side of the business. He described himself as a “third-generation funeral home director” with 19 years of experience. Carie, meanwhile, was recalled by clients as compassionate and warm, promising dignified care.
Cremations started at $1,200 (£889) and were “outsourced” to a local crematory. The Hallfords would then provide loved ones with the ashes.
It appeared that running a funeral business was successful, as the Hallfords drove luxury cars, went on expensive holidays and shopped in designer stores.
Return to Nature had an office where the Hallfords met with families, and a 2,500 square foot building nearby that was run down and appeared to be used for storage.
After reports of a terrible smell were made in October 2023, police visited the building. At the time, in Colorado, there were no legal requirements for funeral directors to be licensed or even trained, so there had never been a routine inspection.
