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Return to Nature owners accept plea deal in federal case, court records show

By 09/14/2024 | updated 12 months ago
Hallfords

Jon and Carie Hallford

Image Courtesy of the Muskogee County Jail

The owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home have accepted a plea deal in their federal case, according to court documents obtained by The Gazette. 

Jon and Carie Hallford, the owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home, filed a notice of disposition and a motion requesting a change of plea. 

According to Crystina Page, whose son David was found among the bodies at the Penrose funeral home, the Hallfords’ plea agreement states the couple will spend between 71 months and 15 years in prison. 

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The funeral home about 35 miles southwest of Colorado Springs came under a multi-agency investigation in October after reports of a complaint about a foul odor in the area. Investigators said they found nearly 190 bodies in various states of decomposition that were not properly stored.

The Hallfords face 15 counts of wire fraud in their federal case. The Hallfords pleaded not guilty to all charges at a hearing in April. A trial was scheduled to begin next month, but court records show the date has been vacated due to the change of disposition, and the couple instead will return to federal court on Oct. 24 for a change-of-plea hearing. 

In July, the Hallfords were offered a plea deal in their state-level case, where they face 286 criminal charges. 

The state plea deal, if accepted, could see the Hallfords spend up to 20 years in prison. Both will have the opportunity to accept the plea deal, or plead not guilty, at an arraignment hearing on Friday, Sept. 20. 

Jon Hallford is being held without bond pending the outcome of his federal case, despite being released on a $100,000 bond in his state-level case.

Carie Hallford remains out of custody on a $100,000 bond. 

Page said that while she and other victim families were hoping for a trial to confront the former funeral home owners, she described her feelings surrounding the plea agreement as, “the best of a bad situation.”

“It makes sense (the plea agreement) but this is going to leave the families with a lot of unanswered questions,” Page said. 

‘It’s disgusting’: Nearly $1 billion judgment against Return to Nature Funeral Home a hollow victory

Identifying human bone found at local golf course could take months

Return to Nature owners have arraignment pushed back

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