- Law enforcement in Colorado discovered approximately 115 bodies that were improperly stored at a “green” funeral home.
- The funeral home owner attempted to conceal the way in which the bodies were stored.
- Multiple agencies, including the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, are conducting investigations.
Law enforcement officers in Penrose, Colorado, made a distressing discovery of over 100 decomposing bodies at a funeral home during an investigation into a “suspicious incident.”
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office dispatched officers to the Return to Nature Funeral Home on October 3 and returned the following day with a search warrant, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office.
During the search, officers discovered improperly stored human remains in the funeral home, with at least 115 decaying bodies and a putrid smell, as reported by The Associated Press.
The specific details of the suspicious incident leading to the search have not been disclosed by law enforcement.
Although limited information has been released about the findings, multiple agencies including the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Fremont County Coroners’ Office, and Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies are involved in the investigation to determine if any criminal wrongdoing occurred, according to the press release.
The funeral home in question practices “green” burials, which involve avoiding the use of chemicals for embalming and the use of biodegradable burial vessels, as stated on the home’s website.
While green burials are legal under Colorado law, bodies that are not buried within 24 hours must be properly stored in a refrigerator, as mentioned in a document from the Colorado Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration.
The document also reveals that the owner of the home, Jon Hallford, attempted to conceal how the bodies were stored and claimed to be engaging in taxidermy at the facility.
According to KRDO, the funeral home’s business license expired in November 2022. Additionally, Jon Hallford and his wife Carie are defendants in multiple civil lawsuits, with entities claiming they are owed thousands of dollars.
No criminal charges have been filed in relation to the discovery at this time.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has urged families who have used the funeral home to contact investigators.
For further information, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation refers to the press releases from the sheriff’s office.
Representatives for the funeral home, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration, Fremont County Coroners’ Office, and the FBI did not respond immediately to Insider’s request for comment outside of regular business hours.
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