Latest news with #ReturntoNatureFuneralHome
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
'This is not an ordinary fraud case': Funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 decaying bodies sentenced to 20 years in prison
DENVER: A Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building and sent grieving families fake ashes received the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison on Friday, for cheating customers and defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 aid. Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court last year. Separately, Hallford pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and will be sentenced in August. At Friday's hearing, federal prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence and Hallford's attorney asked for 10 years. Judge Nina Wang said that although the case focused on a single fraud charge, the circumstances and scale of Hallford's crime and the emotional damage to families warranted the longer sentence. 'This is not an ordinary fraud case,' she said. In court before the sentencing, Hallford told the judge that he opened Return to Nature to make a positive impact in people's lives, 'then everything got completely out of control, especially me.' 'I am so deeply sorry for my actions,' he said. 'I still hate myself for what I've done.' Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, were accused of storing the bodies between 2019 and 2023 and sending families fake ashes. Investigators described finding the bodies in 2023 stacked atop each other throughout a squat, bug-infested building in Penrose, a small town about a two-hour drive south of Denver. The morbid discovery revealed to many families that their loved ones weren't cremated and that the ashes they had spread or cherished were fake. In two cases, the wrong body was buried, according to court documents. Many families said it undid their grieving processes. Some relatives had nightmares, others have struggled with guilt, and at least one wondered about their loved one's soul. Among the victims who spoke during Friday's sentencing was a boy named Colton Sperry. With his head poking just above the lectern, he told the judge about his grandmother, who Sperry said was a second mother to him and died in 2019.
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 decaying bodies sentenced to 20 years in prison
A Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building and sent grieving families fake ashes received the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison on Friday, for cheating customers and defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 aid. Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court last year. Separately, Hallford pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and will be sentenced in August. 6 Return to Nature Funeral Home owner Jon Hallford was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Friday. Muskogee County Sheriff's Office At Friday's hearing, federal prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence and Hallford's attorney asked for 10 years. Judge Nina Wang said that although the case focused on a single fraud charge, the circumstances and scale of Hallford's crime and the emotional damage to families warranted the longer sentence. 'This is not an ordinary fraud case,' she said. In court before the sentencing, Hallford told the judge that he opened Return to Nature to make a positive impact in people's lives, 'then everything got completely out of control, especially me.' 'I am so deeply sorry for my actions,' he said. 'I still hate myself for what I've done.' 6 Hallford stashed 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building. AP Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, were accused of storing the bodies between 2019 and 2023 and sending families fake ashes. Investigators described finding the bodies in 2023 stacked atop each other throughout a squat, bug-infested building in Penrose, a small town about a two-hour drive south of Denver. The morbid discovery revealed to many families that their loved ones weren't cremated and that the ashes they had spread or cherished were fake. In two cases, the wrong body was buried, according to court documents. 6 Investigators discovered that the ashes the funeral home sent to grieving families was fake. AP Many families said it undid their grieving processes. Some relatives had nightmares, others have struggled with guilt, and at least one wondered about their loved one's soul. Among the victims who spoke during Friday's sentencing was a boy named Colton Sperry. With his head poking just above the lectern, he told the judge about his grandmother, who Sperry said was a second mother to him and died in 2019. 6 Hallford and his wife ran the Return to Nature Funeral Home. Return to Nature Colorado Her body languished inside the Return to Nature building for four years until the discovery, which plunged Sperry into depression. He said he told his parents at the time, 'If I die too, I could meet my grandma in heaven and talk to her again.' His parents brought him to the hospital for a mental health check, which led to therapy and an emotional support dog. 'I miss my grandma so much,' he told the judge through tears. 6 Families impacted by the funeral home owner's lies and disturbing business decisions hugged each other after Hallford was sentenced. AP Federal prosecutors accused both Hallfords of pandemic aid fraud, siphoning the money and spending it and customer's payments on a GMC Yukon and Infiniti worth over $120,000 combined, along with $31,000 in cryptocurrency, luxury items from stores like Gucci and Tiffany & Co., and even laser body sculpting. Derrick Johnson told the judge that he traveled 3,000 miles to testify over how his mother was 'thrown into a festering sea of death.' 'I lie awake wondering, was she naked? Was she stacked on top of others like lumber?' said Johnson. 6 Chrystina Page, an impacted family member, yelled at Jon Hallford as he left a preliminary hearing on Feb. 8, 2024. AP 'While the bodies rotted in secret, (the Hallfords) lived, they laughed and they dined,' he added. 'My mom's cremation money likely helped pay for a cocktail, a day at the spa, a first class flight.' Jon Hallford's attorney, Laura H. Suelau, asked for a lower sentence of 10 years in the hearing Friday, saying that Hallford 'knows he was wrong, he admitted he was wrong' and hasn't offered an excuse. His sentencing in the state case is scheduled in August. Asking for a 15-year sentence for Hallford, Assistant US Attorney Tim Neff described the scene inside the building. Investigators couldn't move into some rooms because the bodies were piled so high and in various states of decay. FBI agents had to put boards down so they could walk above the fluid, which was later pumped out. Carie Hallford is scheduled to go to trial in the federal case in September, the same month as her next hearing in the state case in which she's also charged with 191 counts of corpse abuse.
NBC News
5 hours ago
- NBC News
Funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 decaying bodies sentenced to 20 years in prison
DENVER — A Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building and sent grieving families fake ashes received the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison Friday, for cheating customers and defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 aid. Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court last year. Separately, Hallford pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and will be sentenced in August. At Friday's hearing, federal prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence and Hallford's attorney asked for 10 years. Judge Nina Wang said that although the case focused on a single fraud charge, the circumstances and scale of Hallford's crime and the emotional damage to families warranted the longer sentence. 'This is not an ordinary fraud case,' she said. In court before the sentencing, Hallford told the judge that he opened Return to Nature to make a positive impact in people's lives, 'then everything got completely out of control, especially me.' 'I am so deeply sorry for my actions,' he said. 'I still hate myself for what I've done.' Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, were accused of storing the bodies between 2019 and 2023 and sending families fake ashes. Investigators described finding the bodies in 2023 stacked atop each other throughout a squat, bug-infested building in Penrose, a small town about a two-hour drive south of Denver. The morbid discovery revealed to many families that their loved ones weren't cremated and that the ashes they had spread or cherished were fake. In two cases, the wrong body was buried, according to court documents. Many families said it undid their grieving processes. Some relatives had nightmares, others have struggled with guilt, and at least one wondered about their loved one's soul. Among the victims who spoke during Friday's sentencing was a boy named Colton Sperry. With his head poking just above the lectern, he told the judge about his grandmother, who Sperry said was a second mother to him and died in 2019. Her body languished inside the Return to Nature building for four years until the discovery, which plunged Sperry into depression. He said he told his parents at the time, 'If I die too, I could meet my grandma in heaven and talk to her again.' His parents brought him to the hospital for a mental health check, which led to therapy and an emotional support dog. 'I miss my grandma so much,' he told the judge through tears. Federal prosecutors accused both Hallfords of pandemic aid fraud, siphoning the money and spending it and customer's payments on a GMC Yukon and Infiniti worth over $120,000 combined, along with $31,000 in cryptocurrency, luxury items from stores like Gucci and Tiffany & Co., and even laser body sculpting. Derrick Johnson told the judge that he traveled 3,000 miles to testify over how his mother was 'thrown into a festering sea of death.'
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Colorado funeral home owner gets 20 years for hiding 190 decaying bodies
A Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building and sent grieving families fake ashes received the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison on Friday, for cheating customers and defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 aid. Funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 decaying bodies sentenced to 20 years in prison(Representative image/Reuters) Jon Hallford, owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court last year. Separately, Hallford pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse in state court and will be sentenced in August. At Friday's hearing, federal prosecutors sought a 15-year sentence and Hallford's attorney asked for 10 years. Judge Nina Wang said that although the case focused on a single fraud charge, the circumstances and scale of Hallford's crime and the emotional damage to families warranted the longer sentence. 'This is not an ordinary fraud case,' she said. In court before the sentencing, Hallford told the judge that he opened Return to Nature to make a positive impact in people's lives, 'then everything got completely out of control, especially me.' 'I am so deeply sorry for my actions,' he said. 'I still hate myself for what I've done.' Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, were accused of storing the bodies between 2019 and 2023 and sending families fake ashes. Investigators described finding the bodies in 2023 stacked atop each other throughout a squat, bug-infested building in Penrose, a small town about a two-hour drive south of Denver. The morbid discovery revealed to many families that their loved ones weren't cremated and that the ashes they had spread or cherished were fake. In two cases, the wrong body was buried, according to court documents. Many families said it undid their grieving processes. Some relatives had nightmares, others have struggled with guilt, and at least one wondered about their loved one's soul. Among the victims who spoke during Friday's sentencing was a boy named Colton Sperry. With his head poking just above the lectern, he told the judge about his grandmother, who Sperry said was a second mother to him and died in 2019. Her body languished inside the Return to Nature building for four years until the discovery, which plunged Sperry into depression. He said he told his parents at the time, 'If I die too, I could meet my grandma in heaven and talk to her again.' His parents brought him to the hospital for a mental health check, which led to therapy and an emotional support dog. 'I miss my grandma so much,' he told the judge through tears. Federal prosecutors accused both Hallfords of pandemic aid fraud, siphoning the money and spending it and customer's payments on a GMC Yukon and Infiniti worth over $120,000 combined, along with $31,000 in cryptocurrency, luxury items from stores like Gucci and Tiffany & Co., and even laser body sculpting. Derrick Johnson told the judge that he traveled 3,000 miles (4,830 kilometers) to testify over how his mother was 'thrown into a festering sea of death.' 'I lie awake wondering, was she naked? Was she stacked on top of others like lumber?" said Johnson. 'While the bodies rotted in secret, (the Hallfords) lived, they laughed and they dined,' he added. 'My mom's cremation money likely helped pay for a cocktail, a day at the spa, a first class flight.' Jon Hallford's attorney, Laura H. Suelau, asked for a lower sentence of 10 years in the hearing Friday, saying that Hallford 'knows he was wrong, he admitted he was wrong' and hasn't offered an excuse. His sentencing in the state case is scheduled in August. Asking for a 15 year sentence for Hallford, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff described the scene inside the building. Investigators couldn't move into some rooms because the bodies were piled so high and in various states of decay. FBI agents had to put boards down so they could walk above the fluid, which was later pumped out. Carie Hallford is scheduled to go to trial in the federal case in September, the same month as her next hearing in the state case in which she's also charged with 191 counts of corpse abuse.
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Funeral home owner who stashed 190 decomposing bodies in abandoned building and sent families fake ashes jailed
Jon Hallford fleeced clients and splashed out Covid relief funds on luxury cars and laser treatment CORPSE HORROR Funeral home owner who stashed 190 decomposing bodies in abandoned building and sent families fake ashes jailed Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TWISTED funeral home owner who stashed 190 decomposing bodies in a bug-infested building and handed grieving families fake ashes has been jailed for 20 years. Jon Hallford, co-owner of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in southern Colorado, was sentenced in federal court on Friday. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Jon and Carie Hallford (pictured) were arrested after 190 rotting bodies were discovered at their funeral home Credit: AP 7 A hearse and debris at the rear of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado Credit: AP 7 Some of the remains of the dozens of decomposing bodies discovered arriving via police escort in Colorado Springs in 2023 Credit: AP The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud over a gruesome scheme that shocked the nation. He admitted fleecing clients and siphoning nearly $900,000 in Covid-19 relief funds meant for struggling businesses — splurging the cash on luxury shopping sprees, laser body sculpting, flashy cars and cryptocurrency. His sentence is five years more than prosecutors requested, and double what his own lawyer pushed for. 'I am so deeply sorry for my actions,' Hallford told the judge. 'I still hate myself for what I've done.' He added that he opened the funeral home hoping to 'make a positive impact in people's lives,' but admitted: 'Then everything got completely out of control, especially me.' Bodies piled up 'like lumber' Hallford and his wife, Carie Hallford, who co-owned the funeral home, ran their grisly scam between 2019 and 2023. Investigators were first alerted in October last year when neighbours in Penrose, a tiny town two hours south of Denver, complained of a foul stench. Cops who turned up made a stomach-churning discovery — at least 190 bodies stacked atop each other in various states of decay, so badly decomposed that FBI agents had to lay boards over the sludge to navigate the rooms. Some corpses had been left there for years, including the body of Colton Sperry's grandmother who died in 2019. Chilling details emerge after number of rotting bodies found at 'green' Colorado funeral home rises to 189 In court on Friday, the young boy tearfully told the judge he fell into a deep depression when he found out. He told his parents at the time: 'If I die too, I could meet my grandma in heaven and talk to her again.' His father later rushed him to hospital for a mental health check, which led to therapy and an emotional support dog. Another victim, Derrick Johnson, travelled nearly 3,000 miles to tell the court how his mother was 'thrown into a festering sea of death'. 'I lie awake wondering: was she naked? Was she stacked on top of others like lumber?' he said. 'While the bodies rotted in secret, [the Hallfords] lived, they laughed and they dined. 'My mom's cremation money likely helped pay for a cocktail, a day at the spa, a first-class flight.' Two families even buried the wrong bodies after being sent urns of worthless dust — devastating relatives who said it destroyed their ability to properly grieve. 7 Authorities walk outside a closed funeral home where 190 bodies have been stored Credit: AP 7 Crews wade through the horror in Penrose, about two hours south on Denver Credit: AP Lavish spending spree Federal prosecutors revealed the Hallfords drained the pandemic aid and clients' money to bankroll a lavish lifestyle. They splashed out on a GMC Yukon and an Infiniti worth over $120,000 combined, snapped up Gucci and Tiffany jewellery, spent $31,000 on cryptocurrency, and paid for laser body sculpting treatments. The sentencing also included an order for Jon Hallford to pay more than $1 million in restitution — with $193,000 to be divided among the victims' families and the rest to the Small Business Administration. Hallford will serve his 20-year term concurrently with a state sentence expected in August, after he pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse and hundreds of other state charges including forgery and money laundering. Meanwhile, his wife Carie withdrew her guilty plea in the federal case earlier this year and will now go to trial in September. She also faces 191 counts of corpse abuse in the state case. The pair were arrested in Oklahoma last November after going on the run. By then, the decaying funeral home had already been torn down. 7 Privacy fences are set up on the perimeter of the Return to Nature Funeral Home on October 9, 2023 Credit: AP
