On October 4, authorities executed a search warrant at the dilapidated premises of the funeral home, where they discovered the decomposing bodies. Concerned neighbors had been detecting a foul odor for several days.
A Colorado funeral home, known for its commitment to environmentally friendly burials, has had to address a distressing situation. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that no fewer than 189 decomposing bodies have been retrieved from the premises, a significantly higher number than the initial reports that emerged earlier this month.
Public records and interviews with individuals who had dealings with the owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home revealed a concerning financial and operational history. In recent months, the owners had fallen behind on tax payments, faced eviction from one of their properties, and were sued for unpaid bills by a crematory that had severed ties with them almost a year ago.
The day after reports of the unpleasant odor surfaced, the director of the state’s Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration engaged in a phone conversation with the owner, Jon Hallford. During the conversation, Hallford attempted to conceal the improper storage of corpses in Penrose, acknowledged a “problem” at the site, and claimed to be practicing taxidermy there, as per an order from state officials dated October 5.
As reported by the CBI, “On October 13, 2023, all decedents were removed from the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose. The effort was coordinated by the Fremont County Coroner’s Office with support from several entities.” “Teams removed at least 189 individuals and transported them to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office. The total number of decedents could change as the identification and investigative processes continue.”
Authorities confirmed that they are collaborating on the case with the Fremont County Coroners’ Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, the Colorado Department of Public Health, and the FBI but did not reveal what the funeral home was doing with the human remains.
The investigation into the Return to Nature Funeral Home, located in Colorado Springs, was initiated after the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office revealed that over 115 human remains were discovered, and they were not being properly stored on the property, as detailed in their statement from earlier this month.
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