1 month ago
The co-owner of a Colorado ceremonial location was sentenced successful authorities tribunal connected Friday to 30 years successful prison for her portion successful a corpse maltreatment strategy that progressive hiding astir 200 decomposing bodies.
Carie Hallford, 48, was besides sentenced to 18 years successful situation earlier this period aft pleading blameworthy to a national fraud complaint related to nan scandal.
Hallford, who operated nan Return to Nature ceremonial location successful nan Colorado Springs area pinch her past hubby Jon Hallford, defrauded dozens of grieving families by promising due funerary services only to time off their relative’s remains to decay successful a neglected building. The Hallfords collected complete $130,000 for ceremonial services, often returning urns filled pinch actual operation alternatively than ashes to families.
The Hallfords’ crimes, which were first discovered successful 2023 aft authorities noticed a foul odor emanating from their building, prompted world media sum and a crackdown connected Colorado’s loosely regulated ceremonial industry. The authorities has since passed laws mandating regular inspections of ceremonial homes, which successful 1 lawsuit led to nan discovery of 24 decomposing bodies being held astatine different business.
Jon Hallford besides plead blameworthy to his domiciled successful nan cognition and in February was sentenced to 40 years successful prison. Hallford’s condemnation displeased a group of victims’ family members, who protested nan plea statement and had called for nan lawsuit to spell to proceedings pinch a reward of 191 years successful jailhouse – 1 for each lawsuit of quality remains recovered.
The Hallfords also pleaded guilty to defrauding nan Small Business Administration done applying for Covid alleviation costs pinch mendacious information. The mates received $882,300 successful loans from nan SBA, which prosecutors allege they spent connected luxury equipment and travel.
“Jon Hallford’s criminal fraud was a conveyance to utilization grieving families truthful he could springiness himself a lavish life pinch luxury cars and costly vacations,” United States lawyer Peter McNeilly said successful a connection past year.
Carie Hallford expressed remorse and asked for leniency successful courtroom appearances, stating that she was acrophobic of Jon and successful an abusive marriage. Carie Hallford’s lawyer, meanwhile, claimed that astatine times Jon threatened to termination himself and Carie. She revenge for divorcement past year, according to section media. A lawyer for Jon Hallford declined to remark connected nan maltreatment allegations to nan Associated Press.
Carie Hallford dealt pinch customers and handled overmuch of nan ceremonial home’s financials, prosecutors said, while Jon Hallford dealt pinch disposing of remains. Carie Hallford antecedently claimed she had not personally visited nan building wherever nan bodies were being kept successful complete a twelvemonth anterior to erstwhile rule enforcement discovered nan facility.
“I did cognize of nan conditions,” she said successful 2024. “I knew capable that I knew really bad it was and chose to do thing astir it aliases forestall it and conscionable allowed it to continue.”
A group of Colorado families affected by nan state’s ceremonial location maltreatment scandals formed nan non-profit Colorado Remembers successful caller years, pinch nan extremity of providing support for victims. In March, complete a twelve families gathered for a memorial successful Denver to task nan faces of their loved ones connected nan city’s timepiece tower.
