Return to Nature’s Jon and Carie Hallford in Jail After Both Plead Guilty to Committing Horrific Crimes

As part of a plea agreement, Jon and Carie Hallford, the former owners of Colorado green burial funeral home Return to Nature, pleaded guilty on November 22 in state court to 190 counts of abusing a corpse. If these pleas are accepted by 4th Judicial District Court Judge Eric Bentley in a hearing that will take place on April 18, 2025, the Hallfords could each face up to 20 years in prison.

The presiding judge also revoked Carie Hallford’s bond after she admitted her guilt — and after the prosecution disproved her claim that it had been more than a year since she had visited the couple’s Penrose, Colorado facility where authorities discovered 190 corpses in various stages of decomposition in October 2023. 

Families and “friends”

Many of those individuals’ family members in attendance applauded the judge’s decision, crying and applauding as Carie Hallford was handcuffed. Six of those family members also voiced their objections — through their attorneys — to the agreement’s suggested prison sentences, stating that the proposed 15- to 20-year terms were insufficient punishment for the Hallfords’ crimes. The families will be allowed to share these objections on their own or provide an impact statement at the sentencing hearing.

Also in attendance at the plea hearing was Beth Mosley, who is described as a “former employee and friend” of the Hallfords. Mosley told MSN that the Hallfords were “very likable” and that Jon was “hilarious” and a “brilliant funeral director.” She also believes that “anybody can be redeemed.”

Despite these feelings, Mosley says she doesn’t think the charges and impending sentences are unfair, and shared that she would like to help affected family members. 

“I want to be able to help in any way that I can,” she says. “I mean I have insights into who they were and who they are. If there’s a way that I can be helpful in some way, I tried to do that a little bit. I don’t know how to help, I don’t know how there’s a way to help in a situation like this.”

More charges and judgments

In October, the Hallfords pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud charges for misusing pandemic relief funds from the Small Business Administration. Instead of using the more than $800,000 they received to provide green burial or cremation services as contracted, the couple spent the funds on lavish vacations, jewelry, luxury cars, and Amazon orders. Sentencing on these charges will be levied on March 20, 2025, and could be up to 20 years in federal prison.

In August, a judge in a civil case ordered the Hallfords to pay victims $950 million in damages. Unfortunately, the victory was deemed largely symbolic as the Hallfords are not thought to have access to that sum of money.