Return to Nature Owners to Plead Guilty in Federal Court | Courts

The owners of the Return to Nature funeral home are set to appear in court later this week to plead guilty to federal charges.

John and Carey Hallford are expected to plead guilty to 15 counts of wire fraud in federal court on Thursday after accepting a plea agreement in September, according to previous Gazette reporting.

In September, John and Carey Hallford, owners of Return to Nature Funeral Home, filed a notice of decision and a motion to amend the plea on the 15 counts of wire fraud the couple faces in federal court.

In October, the funeral home, located about 35 miles southwest of Colorado Springs, came under a multi-agency investigation after reports of a complaint of a foul odor in the area. Investigators said they found about 190 bodies in varying states of decomposition that had not been properly stored.

At a hearing in April, the Hallfords pleaded not guilty to all federal charges. The trial was scheduled to begin this month, but court records show the date was canceled due to a change of judgment and the couple will instead return to federal court on Thursday for a hearing on the change of plea.

Christina Page, whose son David was found among the bodies at the Penrose funeral home, previously told The Gazette that the Hallfords’ plea agreement said the couple would spend 71 months to 15 years in prison.

The Hallfords also plan to appear virtually in an El Paso County civil negligence case filed against the couple and Hallfordhomes LLC last November. Court records in the civil case show most hearings in the case have been canceled.

A class-action lawsuit filed in Fremont County against Return to Nature Funeral Home has resulted in a judgment of nearly $1 billion, but previous reports from The Gazette stress that it is extremely unlikely that any victims will see even a small portion of the amount court decision.

In July, the Holfords were offered a plea deal in their state case, in which they face 286 criminal charges.

The state’s plea agreement, if accepted, could see the Hallfords spend up to 20 years in prison.

The Hallfords will appear in court Nov. 8 for a plea hearing in their state case. The Hallfords’ chance to enter a guilty plea in their state case continues to be delayed by the federal court case taking precedence, causing several arraignment hearings to be postponed, including the most recent one in September.

Page told The Gazette that the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office met with the victims this week to discuss next steps in the criminal case.

John Hallford is being held without bail pending the outcome of his federal case, despite being released on $100,000 bail in the state case.

Carey Holford remains in custody on $100,000 bail.