The DA’s Office will hold a press conference on Wednesday morning, Nov. 8 at 10:30 a.m. FOX21 News will live stream the press conference once it begins in the video player above.
WAGONER, Okla. (KXRM) — The owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, where 189 bodies were found improperly stored at the Penrose location, have been arrested.
According to a press release sent on Wednesday morning, Nov. 8 by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office (DA’s Office), Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested in Wagoner, Oklahoma on suspicion of committing the crimes of Abuse of a Corpse, Theft, Money Laundering, and Forgery, which are all felonies.
Governor Jared Polis also released a statement following the arrests on Wednesday.
“I am relieved that criminal charges have been brought against the funeral home owner and a criminal investigation is proceeding,” said Governor Polis. “I know this will not bring peace to the families impacted by this heart-wrenching incident but we hope the individuals responsible are held fully accountable in a court of law.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation notified the victims by email at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. According to the email, the development comes as a result of a joint investigation conducted into the operations of Return to Nature Funeral Home between September 2019 and September 2023 by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI.
The DA’s Office is set to review the investigation and subsequently file appropriate charges in El Paso County District Court. “Because the Hallfords were arrested in a different state, their first advisement in El Paso County District Court will be determined during the extradition process,” wrote the DA’s Office.
Investigators from multiple agencies continue their work to identify bodies discovered during the investigation. If you or someone you know worked with the Return to Nature Funeral Home between September 2019 and September 2023, the DA’s Office said to complete the Seeking Victim Information Questionnaire.
In October of 2023, an investigation was launched after law enforcement responded to reports of a foul odor coming from the funeral home’s facility in Penrose. Upon a state search warrant being executed, the Fremont County Coroner’s Office and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies determined that human remains were improperly stored inside the building.
4th Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen will join representatives from various agencies including the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Fremont County Coroner’s Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a press conference on Wednesday morning.
The press conference is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the DA’s Office in Colorado Springs. FOX21 News will live stream the press conference in the video player above.
FOX21 will continue to follow this developing story and will update this article as more information comes in.
