COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Carie Hallford, the co-owner of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, where investigators found at least 190 bodies decomposing inside its Penrose location in 2023, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison on her state charges.
- Watch News5's coverage of the sentencing below:
Hallford, who co-owned the funeral home with her husband Jon Hallford, both faced state and federal charges.
Carie Hallford was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and $1,070,413.74 in restitution back in March.
- Watch the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office's press briefing on Carie Hallford's sentencing below:
Jon Hallford was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and also ordered to pay $1,070,413.74. He was sentenced to 40 years in state prison. Jon Hallford is appealing his federal sentence.
The couple both sought plea deals in their state and federal cases. In August, Judge Eric Bentley rejected Jon Hallford’s plea deal on his state charges of 20 years, served at the same time as his federal sentence.
Jon Hallford was later sentenced to a 40-year state sentence, served concurrently to his federal charges.
- Watch News5's coverage of Jon Hallford's sentencing below:
The courtroom gallery was packed with the victims' families and reporters. Some family members showed up to court for the first time on Friday's sentencing.
Friday's sentencing gave some victims closure, but others felt it was another part of frustrating process that's been ongoing the last 2.5 years.
"How do you heal when you don’t know what it is that harmed you?" Crystina Page, whose son David Jaxon Page was among the 191 bodies found inside the home told reporters Friday afternoon. "This is not closure, this was our final opportunity to get answers today that we deserved, and we were shut down."
Page and others echoed their frustration in the courtroom on Friday, saying they want to see all the evidence in the case.
District Attorney Michael Allen was not in court Friday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Rachael Powell told reporters he was with family as his son returned from a U.S. Navy deployment.
Powell said the District Attorney's office is committed to meeting with victims to release more information, but the office will also be waiting to see if Carie Hallford appeals the case.
"This wasn't closure for me, but this is a step forward to that process of being able to grieve, grieve her and not have to grieve this case with her," said Samantha Naranjo, who lost her grandmother, Dorothy Tardif in 2022 and was among the return to nature victims. "I haven't had a chance to grieve this case. I have been focusing on justice and making something beautiful out of something so ugly, and I've been more focused about changing the law and making it right rather than being able to sit and grieve about what happened."
Investigators said the couple received COVID-19 relief funds and instead of cremating or burying bodies, spent money on personal expenses, including cars and vacations.
In court Friday, Powell pointed out the amount of money the Hallford's spent on lavish vacations and expensive meals could have paid for more than 200 cremation services.
Many who testified Friday said they didn't interact with Jon Hallford at all, Carie Hallford was who they worked with and trusted with their loved ones remains.
Powell argued to the court that Carie Hallford minimized her involved in the case and tried to distance herself from the crimes.
Text messages and cell phone records showed Carie Hallford knew about the situation at the Penrose location and went to the location more times than Jon Hallford.
Hallford's attorneys argued Carie Hallford is a victim of domestic abuse and out of fear for hers and her children's safety she went along with what he instructed her to do.
Victims families members showed empathy to Carie Hallford but argued it does not erase the harm she caused on them.
"Time and time again we are the ones to carry the weight of the injustice of it all," said Tanya Wilson.
Carie Hallford gave a tearful apology to the judge during Friday's sentencing, "I take accountability for my actions, I wish so badly I could go back in time and change so many things," Hallford told the judge.
The apology, family members pointed out was a stark contrast as Hallford sat emotionless during the hearing as victims gave their statements to the court.
"I found that to be very disingenuine, and hard to watch," said Heather DeWolf, whose son Zach has not been identified as one of the bodies found but they used Return to Nature.
According to federal inmate records, Jon Hallford is currently serving his federal sentence at Texarkana FCI, a federal prison near the Texas/Arkansas state line. Carie Hallford remains in the El Paso County jail ahead of her sentencing on Friday.
KOAA News5 has a full timeline of the developing events of the Return to Nature Funeral Home.
Family members will be holding a memorial Saturday at 10 a.m. at Concrete Couch, which is located on South Royer Street near the intersection of East Las Vegas Street and South Nevada Avenue.
"This is just the beginning for our group so that we can move forward continuing to heal," said Page.
KOAA News5 has a full timeline of the developing events of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, which you can view below:
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