What began as a vision of environmentally conscious farewells has become one of the darkest chapters in Colorado’s modern history. The Return to Nature Funeral Home, once celebrated for its “green” burials and eco-friendly philosophy, now stands at the center of a case that has shaken families, lawmakers, and the entire funeral industry. Behind its promise of gentle, natural transitions back to the earth lay a horrifying truth—one rooted in deception, greed, and unimaginable neglect.
Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of the Penrose-based funeral home, built their reputation on sustainability and empathy. Their service appealed to families seeking an alternative to chemical embalming and metal caskets. They promised burials that honored both nature and the deceased, using biodegradable materials to “return to the soil.” For years, their clients believed they were making responsible, heartfelt choices. But in the fall of 2023, that illusion began to rot—literally.
Residents near the facility started complaining about an unbearable odor seeping through the neighborhood. When questioned, the Hallfords claimed it was simply “organic decomposition materials.” Authorities eventually secured a search warrant—and what they discovered defied belief. Inside the building were nearly 200 human bodies left to decompose in rooms without ventilation. Some were wrapped in plastic, others stacked together in broken refrigeration units. The smell was so overpowering that investigators had to wear hazmat gear.
The investigation revealed that several of the remains dated back years. Families who thought their loved ones had been cremated were unknowingly keeping urns filled with concrete dust instead of ashes. Some even received the wrong remains entirely. “It’s the kind of betrayal you can’t put into words,” said David Page, whose relative was among those found abandoned.
The Hallfords eventually pleaded guilty to 191 counts of abuse of a corpse. Prosecutors described a pattern of deceit and exploitation, fueled by greed. Instead of honoring the deceased, the couple funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars—some from pandemic relief loans—into personal luxuries such as vacations, jewelry, and online shopping. “The Hallfords preyed on people at their most vulnerable moments,” said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen. “They turned grief into profit.”
Their sentencing, expected to bring 15 to 20 years in prison, will mark only the beginning of Colorado’s reckoning with a broken system that allowed such horror to happen.
