Return to Nature Funeral Home owners offered plea deals in corpse abuse case

PENROSE, Colo. (KXRM) — Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose where nearly 200 bodies were found improperly stored, were extended plea deals in the state case.

On Tuesday, victims in the case shared with FOX21 an email from the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

The email stated that if Jon Hallford enters a guilty plea to felony abuse of a corpse, he will serve 20 years in the Department of Corrections concurrent to the federal sentence he receives. Meanwhile, if Carie Hallford enters a guilty plea to corpse abuse, she will serve 15 to 20 years concurrently with her federal sentence.

The Hallfords have until Oct. 4 to agree to the offer.

According to the email shared by victims, the DA's office anticipates the Hallfords will enter pleas of not guilty and a trial will be set.

The next court date is set for Thursday, July 11, at 8:30 a.m. for an arraignment hearing.

The Hallfords face 15 federal charges of COVID-19 fraud in addition to more than 200 criminal counts in state court of corpse abuse, money laundering, theft and forgery.