The owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home are set to appear in court in later this week to plead guilty to federal charges. 

Jon and Carie Hallford are expected to plead guilty to 15 counts of wire fraud in federal court on Thursday after accepting a plea agreement in September, according to previous Gazette reporting. 

In September, 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 on the 15 counts of wire fraud the pair face in federal court. 

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 pleaded not guilty to all federal charges at a hearing in April. A trial was scheduled to begin this 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 Thursday for a change-of-plea hearing. 

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

The Hallfords are also scheduled to appear virtually for a civil negligence case in El Paso County filed against the couple and Hallfordhomes in November of last year. Court records for the civil case show that the majority of hearings for the case have been vacated. 

A class-action lawsuit against the Return to Nature Funeral Home filed in Fremont County resulted in a judgment of nearly $1 billion, but previous reporting from The Gazette outlines that it’s highly unlikely any victims will see even a small portion of the judgement amount.  

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.

The Hallfords are set to appear in court on Nov. 8 for a plea hearing in their state-level case. The Hallfords’ chance to enter a plea in their state case continues to be delayed due to the federal court case taking priority, several arraignment hearings have been delayed as a result, including the most recent in September. 

Page told The Gazette that the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office met with victims this week to discuss next steps of the criminal case. 

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. 

Families upset after Return to Nature owners Jon and Carie Hallford offered plea deals