DENVER • Carie Hallford, who was ready to go to trial on more than a dozen counts of wire fraud connected to a case of deception that resulted in the decomposition of nearly 190 bodies at the Return to Nature Funeral Home, entered a guilty plea in federal court Monday while accepting a deal that dismisses a majority of her charges.

Carie Hallford, 48, ran the funeral home south of Colorado Springs in Penrose with husband Jon Hallford.

The co-owner appeared without emotion Monday and now faces a federal prison term of no more than 20 years after admitting guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Kelly Schleosser, whose mother was found in the since-demolished building, said it didn’t give her any satisfaction to hear Carie Hallford admit her guilt, calling her a “liar” anyway.

“Every time we go back to court, it’s like spiraling us to the beginning,” said Schleosser said.

Return to Nature co-owner Carie Hallford to change federal plea Monday

Carie Hallford has gone back and forth with her federal plea. She pleaded guilty in October 2024, then withdrew the plea when Judge Nina Wang added a plea agreement stipulation in March that meant her time in prison could exceed 15 years. Co-owner Jon Hallford maintained his guilty plea despite the change. 

Carie Hallford’s plea agreement, accepted by the court Monday, dismissed the remaining 14 federal counts. According to her defense counsel, her prison sentence cannot exceed 20 years, but the prosecution is likely to recommend 15 years in federal prison. 

Jon Hallford’s plea agreement was nearly identical, with him also pleading guilty to the single conspiracy charge. However, prosecutors asked for a 20-year prison sentence. 

The case started in early October 2023 after complaints of a “foul” odor led to a search warrant on the Penrose location. Shortly after the gruesome discovery of 189 bodies, Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested and charged in both state and federal courts.

Jon Hallford received the maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison in late July, but a motion filed July 3 showed his defense has appealed the sentence to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Less than two weeks after his sentencing, Carie Hallford requested a change-of-plea hearing and her September trial dates were vacated. 

Return to Nature co-owner Jon Hallford receives maximum sentence in federal wire fraud case

It was a quiet courtroom Monday, with only a handful of victim families in the gallery. Carie Hallford appeared in custody with cuffs around her ankles and wrists.

Crystina Page, who’s son David was found in the Penrose building, said she hopes Wang delivers the same sentence received by Jon Hallford.

“I’m pretty confident the judge will give her the maximum,” Page said. “But 20 years doesn’t come close to justice.”

The wire fraud charges came down after further investigation revealed the Hallfords’ misuse of cremation and burial payments as well as COVID relief funds. According to the April 2024 federal indictment, the Hallfords collected “in excess of” $130,000 from victims for cremation or burial services that were never provided.

On at least two occasions, the wrong body was buried. “In a number of instances,” the Hallfords provided dry concrete mix to families instead of their loved one’s ashes, the indictment stated.

The indictment also alleged that the Hallfords provided false information to the U.S. Small Business Administration to obtain COVID relief funds totaling $882,300. The couple allegedly used those funds for personal benefit by spending the money on things such as vehicles, multiple vacations, tuition, a cosmetic medical procedure and more.

Carie Hallford’s federal sentencing date is set for Dec. 3. No state sentencing date has been set because of the ongoing nature of her federal case.

While some victims have expressed frustration and concern over the case dragging on into next year, others are indifferent. 

“For me, I don’t think a timeline matters,” Page said. “As long as they’re behind bars.”

Page said she would’ve liked the case to go to trial like planned, because many of victims are still in the dark about details of the funeral home. 

“I think her pulling the plea has been damaging to a lot of us,” Page said. “We believe that by going to trial, we would’ve been able to hear the evidence and be able to hear what they actually did to us.”

“We still don’t know the truth.”

Both funeral home owners have already pleaded guilty on the state level. Jon Hallford is scheduled for state sentencing Aug. 22. 

The pair are expected to receive 20 years in prison on the state level, to run concurrent with their federal sentences, court records show.