Current:Home > ContactColorado funeral home owners where decomposing bodies found returned to state to face charges -Lighthouse Finance Hub
Colorado funeral home owners where decomposing bodies found returned to state to face charges
View
Date:2025-04-15 20:10:50
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The owners of a defunct Colorado funeral home where 190 sets of decomposing human remains were found have been returned to the state to face hundreds of felony charges.
Carie Hallford appeared in District Court in Colorado Springs via video on Wednesday. District Judge Samorreyan Burney maintained her bail at $2 million cash during the advisement hearing, KRDO-TV reported. Jon Hallford’s advisement hearing was Friday and his bail also remained at $2 million.
Carie Hallford’s public defender had asked for her bail to be reduced to $50,000, citing her lack of a criminal record, but Burney noted she faced more than 250 felony charges. Both Hallfords face 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, over 50 counts of forgery, five counts of theft and four counts of money laundering, federal court records said.
Neither entered a plea. Their next court appearances are set for Dec. 5.
Court records say the Hallfords are both being represented by the public defender’s office, which does not comment on cases to the media.
The case began in early October when the report of an “abhorrent smell” led to the discovery of the bodies at a Return to Nature Funeral Home location in Penrose — about 34 miles (55 kilometers) southwest of Colorado Springs.
After the bodies were removed, officials said there were 190 sets of remains, with some having been there as long as four years. The coroner’s office used fingerprints and medical records to try to identify the bodies, and would use DNA if necessary, officials said.
Family members had been falsely told their loved ones had been cremated and had received materials that were not their ashes, court records said.
The couple was arrested on Nov. 8 at the home of Jon Hallford’s father in Oklahoma, according to a federal arrest warrant alleging they fled the state to avoid prosecution. The federal charge was dropped after their arrests.
Carie Hallford was booked into the El Paso County Jail in Colorado Springs on Tuesday and Jon Hallford was returned to Colorado on Wednesday.
veryGood! (4294)
Related
- Vance jokes he’s checking out his future VP plane while overlapping with Harris at Wisconsin airport
- College World Series 2024: How to watch Tennessee vs. Texas A&M game Saturday
- How many points did Caitlin Clark score last night? Top pick helps Fever to fourth straight win
- Meet Cancer, the Zodiac's emotional chatterbox: The sign's personality traits, months
- Messi injury update: Ankle 'better every day' but Inter Miami star yet to play Leagues Cup
- Cristiano Ronaldo ‘lucky’ not to come to harm after he’s confronted by selfie-seekers, coach says
- 71-year-old competing in Miss Texas USA pageant
- New Mexico governor says two years after Roe was overturned that there are more abortions happening because more women are at risk
- A Georgia governor’s latest work after politics: a children’s book on his cats ‘Veto’ and ‘Bill’
- Ancient cargo recovered from oldest shipwreck ever found in Mediterranean Sea, Israeli archaeologists say
Ranking
- Tony Hawk drops in on Paris skateboarding and pushes for more styles of sport in LA 2028
- Gen X finally tops boomer 401(k) balances, but will it be enough to retire?
- Travis Kelce joins Taylor Swift onstage during surprise Eras Tour appearance in London: Watch
- Railroads must provide details of hazardous cargo immediately after a derailment under new rule
- Kehlani Responds to Hurtful Accusation She’s in a Cult
- South Korea summons Russia's ambassador over Moscow's new pact with North as inter-Korean tensions keep rising
- Jesse Plemons says he has 'much more energy' after 50-pound weight loss
- Hawaii lifeguard dies in shark attack while surfing off Oahu
Recommendation
Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
Noah Lyles wins opening round of men's 100m at US Olympic track and field trials
Cybertruck sales are picking up: Could the polarizing EV push Tesla's market share higher?
New photo of Prince William with his children released to mark his birthday
RFK Jr. grilled again about moving to California while listing New York address on ballot petition
Swath of New England placed under tornado watch as region faces severe storms
Travis Kelce's Mom Donna Shares Video of Him Carrying Taylor Swift Onstage at Eras Tour Show
Packers to name Ed Policy as new president and CEO, replacing retiring Mark Murphy