Colorado Judge Rejects Plea Deal for Funeral Home Owner in 190-Body Abuse Case

A Colorado judge has rejected plea deals offering 15 to 20 years in prison to Carie Hallford and her husband Jon, owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home, who admitted to storing nearly 190 decomposing bodies in unsanitary conditions and giving families fake ashes. Families of the deceased expressed deep emotional distress and argued the sentences were too lenient, with some requesting nearly 200 years for Carie Hallford, symbolizing a year for each victim. Judge Eric Bentley emphasized that the proposed sentences did not sufficiently acknowledge the harm caused and noted the broad impact on extended families and previous customers uncertain about their loved ones' remains. Both Hallfords have withdrawn their guilty pleas, leading to scheduled trials next year. The couple also pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding the US Small Business Administration of pandemic relief funds. This case has sparked outrage and contributed to regulatory reforms in Colorado's funeral industry.