Jon and Carie Hallford, proprietors of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, confessed to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of their plea deal, prosecutors will recommend a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. However, judicial approval is still pending.

The Hallfords faced a total of 15 federal offenses tied to defrauding both the United States government and clients of their funeral home, located roughly an hour south of Denver. In addition to federal charges, they are also contending with over 200 criminal counts in Colorado state court, which includes allegations of corpse abuse and forgery.

U.S. Assistant Attorney Tim Neff stated that the plea agreement encompasses admissions of both COVID-19 relief fraud and defrauding their customers. The couple reportedly misused funds intended for pandemic relief, splurging on luxury vehicles, cosmetic procedures, vacations to various states, cryptocurrency, and high-end goods from retailers like Gucci and Tiffany & Co.

The gruesome discovery of 190 bodies was made last year in a building owned by the funeral home in Penrose, a small town southwest of Colorado Springs. According to court documents, the Hallfords allegedly began improperly storing bodies as early as 2019, sometimes stacking them on top of each other. There were also instances of bodies being buried incorrectly.

The Associated Press uncovered that families who used the funeral home's services were likely sent fake ashes and falsified cremation records. Court filings revealed that what some families received in bags was not cremated remains but dry concrete dust. The news left affected families distraught, realizing their loved ones' remains were still in the building rather than the ashes they had spread or kept.

This scandal led Colorado lawmakers to strengthen state funeral home regulations. Starting in 2024, new laws will mandate regular inspections of funeral facilities and licensing for those in funeral home roles.

Crystina Page, whose son's body was mishandled by the funeral home, shared her sorrow in court. She acknowledged that the plea deal was probably the closest form of justice attainable for the victims but lamented that it only "scratches the surface of the atrocities they committed." Describing the horrific condition of her son's body, she said, "My son was one of those victims; he lost 60% of his body weight. Rats and maggots ate his face."