Colorado Funeral-Home Scandal: 189 Bodies Found, Families Given Fake Ashes — Owner Faces Decades Behind Bars

A Colorado funeral-home owner is scheduled for state sentencing after investigators uncovered 189 decomposing human remains stored in a 2,500-square-foot commercial building in Penrose. Hundreds of grieving families later learned the ashes they were given did not belong to their loved ones. The case exposed systemic regulatory gaps and led to changes in state oversight of funeral providers.

The gruesome discovery

Authorities responded to a report of a foul odor in October 2023 and entered the building wearing protective gear, according to court records. Inside, investigators found 189 bodies stacked in the space, sometimes piled high enough to block doorways. Decomposition fluid covered floors in areas, and officials say some remains had decayed for years while others were only months old.

Investigators also found bags of Quikrete, a concrete mix that prosecutors allege was used as a substitute for human ashes given to families. Victims were identified through fingerprints, hospital bracelets and implanted medical devices.

Fraud, lavish spending and arrests

Jon and Carie Hallford, who operated Return to Nature funeral services, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In a separate federal case, prosecutors say Jon Hallford defrauded pandemic relief programs and customers of nearly $900,000. Authorities say the couple spent client payments and fraud proceeds on luxury purchases including designer goods, cosmetic procedures, vehicles and roughly $31,000 in cryptocurrency.

Derrick Johnson, whose mother's body was one of 189 left to decay in the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo., holds family photos in his aunt's home in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The couple were arrested in Oklahoma in November 2023 and charged with abusing nearly 200 corpses. Jon Hallford has already been sentenced to 20 years in federal court for the fraud convictions; at his upcoming state sentencing he faces an expected term of roughly 30 to 50 years. Carie Hallford’s state sentencing is scheduled for April following plea agreements accepted in December.

Impact on families: One man's story

Among those affected is Derrick Johnson, whose mother, Ellen Marie Shriver-Lopes, died in early 2023. Johnson learned from the FBI that the ashes he had buried in Maui were not his mother’s remains. The revelation triggered panic attacks and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder; he has since entered therapy and joined support meetings with other victims. Johnson plans to speak at the Hallfords' sentencing hearing.

“While the bodies rotted in secret, [the Hallfords] lived, they laughed and they dined,” Johnson told a federal court. “My mom’s cremation money likely helped pay for a cocktail, a day at the spa, a first-class flight.”

Aftermath and broader consequences

The discovery ranks among the largest finds of decaying bodies at a U.S. funeral facility and prompted Colorado lawmakers to tighten the state’s funeral-home regulations. Hundreds of families are still seeking answers, restitution and confirmation of remains. Local and federal authorities continue to coordinate with medical examiners and victim services to identify victims, notify families and support ongoing criminal and civil proceedings.

Note: The case remains active. Some details, including final state sentencing outcomes and restitution orders, may change as courts proceed.