A couple who were arrested last year after at least 190 bodies were discovered rotting at their funeral home in Colorado were arrested again on Sunday on federal fraud charges.
Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested in November 2023 after at least 190 decomposing bodies were discovered improperly stored at their Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs.
Authorities discovered the dead bodies after receiving a report of an abhorrent smell
Authorities discovered the dead bodies after receiving a report of an “abhorrent smell,” and the couple was charged with about 190 charges of corpse abuse, five acts of theft, four counts of money laundering, and more than 50 counts of forgery.
Court records later revealed that family members were incorrectly informed that their loved ones had been cremated and had received materials that were not their ashes.
The Hallfords fraudulently applied for the loans, totaling $882,300
The couple, who could face up to 18 months in prison for each count of corpse abuse, may now face additional jail time after being arrested again on Sunday on federal charges of fraudulently obtaining more than $880,000 in pandemic relief funds, which they spent on vacations and personal items.
According to FBI and court records, the 15 federal accusations stem from three distinct small-business loans for pandemic relief issued to the Hallfords between March 2020 and October 2021.
According to the indictment, the Hallfords falsely applied for the loans, totaling $882,300, by submitting papers to the Small Business Administration claiming they were not involved in criminal activity despite operating an “ongoing wire fraud scheme to defraud customers of their business.”
Court records show that after receiving their loans, the Hallfords spent a large portion of the money on personal items such as a car, “multiple vacations,” including trips to California, Florida, and Las Vegas, as well as eating out, cryptocurrency, cosmetic medical procedures, jewelry, and child tuition.
“The Hallfords used the bulk of the loan proceeds for their benefit,” the indictment said, adding that the couple netted $130,000 from families paying for cremations or burials that were never performed.
On Monday, the couple appeared before a judge in court. During the hearing, Assistant US Attorney Tim Neff argued that the Hallfords were a flight risk, claiming that they fled to Oklahoma last year when the decaying bodies came to light.
Judge Varholak did not immediately rule whether the Hallfords should be released until a trial.
If convicted of the federal counts, the couple could face up to 20 years in jail and a $250,000 fine, according to the federal indictment.