Return to Nature Funeral Home owners offered plea deals

(PENROSE, Colo.) — Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, where nearly 200 bodies were found improperly stored, were extended plea deals in the state case.

Victims in the case shared an email from the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office (DA’s Office) with FOX21 on Tuesday, July 2.

The email stated that if Jon Hallford enters a guilty plea to felony Abuse of a Corpse he will serve 20 years in the Department of Corrections concurrent to the federal sentence he receives. Meanwhile, if Carie Hallford enters a guilty plea to corpse abuse she will serve 15 to 20 years concurrently with her federal sentence.

The Hallfords have until Oct. 4, 2024, to agree to the offer.

According to the email shared by victims, the DA’s Office anticipates the Hallfords will enter not-guilty pleas and a trial will be set.

The next court date is set for Thursday, July 11, at 8:30 a.m. for an Arraignment Hearing.

The Hallfords face 15 federal charges for Covid fraud, in addition to more than 200 criminal counts in state court for corpse abuse, money laundering, theft and forgery.

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