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 is expected to be sentenced for her state charges Friday morning.
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 News5's coverage of Carie Hallford's federal 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 the 40 year state sentence, served concurrently to his federal charges.
- Watch News5's coverage of Jon Hallford's sentencing below:
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.
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.
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