Oct 24, 2024
Thursday the owners of a funeral home where nearly 200 bodies were found decomposing will be in federal court to change their plea from not guilty to guilty.It's been one year since the bodies were found in the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, about 35 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. The owners, Jon and Carrie Hallford were arrested and have been charged with multiple crimes.They include both federal and state charges. Thursday's hearing is for those federal charges. According to court documents, the couple received nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 federal relief funds in 2020 and 2021.Instead of using the money for business expenses, court documents say the Hallfords used the money for vacations, entertainment, and cosmetic procedures.Prosecutors also accuse the couple of collecting $130,000 from customers over four years for cremation or burial services that never happened. Instead - they say the Hallfords gave the customers a concrete mix instead of the ashes of their loved ones.They allegedly hid this illegal activity by allowing 190 bodies to decompose in the funeral home in Penrose.Families who are impacted by this say even though the couple may spend time behind bars, the memories of what happened will be at the forefront of their minds."Trying to go on with our lives but I have moments where I just stop and cry and I can't control it because it just hurts me. I feel the hurt and pain of the disrespect that they did to my grandmother's body," said Samantha Naranjo in an interview with Scripps News Denver. Originally the couple pleaded not guilty to the federal charges but changed their mind when a plea deal was offered in September.The families tell us that a U.S. Attorney told them they're seeking 15 years in prison for each of them.KOAA News5 has a full timeline of the developing events of the Return to Nature Funeral Home. _______Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
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