Fraud crimes can take many unusual forms, and the stories surrounding them are as varied as they are surprising. A case in point involves the community of Penrose, Colorado (near Colorado Springs), where an investigation into a couple who ran a funeral home revealed the scene of a gruesome crime.
Warning: this story is not for the faint of heart.
Just an Ordinary Funeral Home ... Right?
Jon and Carie Hallford owned Return to Nature Funeral Home. Unsurprisingly, part of their line of work included cremation services. Families trusted them to handle the remains of their loved ones with respect and dignity. What happened behind the doors of the business was anything but respectful.
The Hallfords didn't provide cremation services. Instead, they took the money and handed grieving families dried concrete. They left the bodies to rot in their funeral home.
As with many fraud crimes, it was only a matter of time until they were discovered. Residents reported a nauseating odor coming from the building. The stench was so pungent that authorities had to wear hazmat suits and limit their time inside due to the toxic environment.
What they found was horrifying: dozens of bodies piled on the floor, on shelves, and on stretchers. Some bodies were so decomposed that they were impossible to identify visually.
But what was most disconcerting was the magnitude of the find: authorities discovered 189 bodies stored at the site.
Horrifying and Illegal
Authorities ultimately charged the owners with hundreds of criminal counts. In addition to abuse of a corpse, the couple is facing charges for theft, money laundering, and more than 50 counts of fraud. Separately, they are also being tried in federal court for committing fraud when receiving COVID relief funds through SBA grants.
The Hallfords were able to reach an agreement with prosecutors. Under their plea agreement, Jon Hallford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and 190 counts of abuse of a corpse.
On June 27, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado announced that Jon Hallford was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay just over $1 million in restitution — approximately $193,000 to affected families and $880,000 to the Small Business Administration.
Carie Hallford, meanwhile, pleaded guilty on August 4 to conspiracy to commit fraud. The U.S. district judge had rejected a previous settlement with Carie because it was not "in the best interest of the public." In other words, the judge felt that the maximum sentence that could be imposed under that agreement would not be sufficient. The judge recently approved a modified agreement but has not yet handed down her sentence.
They are also both awaiting sentencing for their state crimes, so they are facing the potential for even lengthier sentences than 20 and 15 years, respectively, they've already received.
The Details (and They Aren't Good)
How did they get away with it at all? Dried concrete resembles ashes due to its grayish hue and powdery texture. Tragically, victims described how they had scattered the fake ashes in special places or kept them displayed in their home.
One mother recounted how her son's body had been at the funeral home since 2019, in a corner of a non-working refrigerator, out of the bag, and with rats and maggots eating his face for four years.
Colorado Legislature Responds
In response, the governor of Colorado signed legislation this year to increase consumer protection in the funeral home industry. The law extends the Department of Regulatory Agencies' ability to inspect funeral homes and crematories and improves oversight of licensed professionals.
Fraud crimes take many forms: identity theft, credit card fraud, election fraud, tax fraud, and even romantic relationships (catfishing). Few are as heartbreaking as the fraud the Hallfords perpetrated on their unsuspecting victims.
(Note: This blog originally appeared on abogado.com).
Related Resources
- What Is a 'Person of Interest' in a Crime? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Alaska's Foster Care Crisis (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Nudify Apps Are Proliferating Despite Illegality, Lawsuits (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
