Colorado Couple Arrested After Dumping Nearly 200 Dead Bodies At Site During Funeral Home Scam, Spent The Money On Crypto And Other BS

A married couple, Jon and Carie Hallford, who own the Return to Nature funeral home in Colorado Springs, are now facing a total of 260 criminal charges. They are accused of abandoning almost 200 decaying bodies and misusing their clients' funds on extravagant vehicles and cryptocurrency.

In October, authorities were alerted to the disturbing situation when 190 bodies were found in the funeral home's rooms, described as having "abhorrent conditions" with fluids from human decomposition and insects on the floors, according to the Daily Mail. The discovery followed complaints from neighbors about a foul smell resembling that of a deceased animal.

Relatives who paid $1,290 for an eco-friendly cremation service and the assurance of a tree planted in memory of their loved ones were allegedly provided with concrete dust instead of ashes, as revealed during Thursday's court proceedings. FBI investigators disclosed that the Hallfords allegedly used the funds to acquire two vehicles valued at $120,000, indulge in cryptocurrency investments, and enjoy extravagant dinners.

The couple is now confronting numerous charges, including forgery, theft, money laundering, and abuse of a corpse. However, neither has entered a plea at this time. Apart from their primary funeral home location, bodies were also found stored in a building in the nearby town of Penrose.

Despite opening for business in 2017, financial troubles plagued the Hallfords' enterprise, accumulating over $120,000 in unpaid bills by the time of the raid. The funeral home had faced legal battles, including disputes with local medical centers and unpaid wages. During a prior hearing for Carie Hallford, prosecutors presented text messages suggesting the couple attempted to conceal their financial woes by relocating bodies to the Penrose site.