New particulars revealed about CO funeral dwelling accused of improperly storing our bodies

Editor’s notice: This story incorporates graphic content material. Viewer discretion is suggested.

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. — Haunting photos proven for the primary time in an El Paso County courtroom Thursday gave a glimpse into the situations of the Return to Nature funeral dwelling in Penrose.

Jon and Carie Hallford are accused of improperly storing almost 200 our bodies contained in the southern Colorado funeral dwelling. Carie appeared in court docket for her preliminary listening to Thursday, the place prosecutors should show to a choose they’ve sufficient proof to take the case to trial.

The listening to was not accomplished Thursday afternoon. Arguments relating to unsealing the arrest affidavit shall be heard Friday, whereas last arguments for Carie’s preliminary listening to are set for subsequent week.

Carie entered the courtroom carrying an orange jumpsuit and looking out towards the choose, whereas victims stuffed the rows of the gallery.

Earlier than the prosecution started their argument, one of many individuals observing the continuing took {a photograph} of Carie. Choose William Moller ordered the lady to delete the image and reminded everybody within the courtroom of the decorum required.

Prosecutor Rachael Powell first known as FBI Agent Andrew Cohen to the stand, who was assigned as a case supervisor for the Return to Nature case. Cohen mentioned the property itself is round 1.9 acres, and the funeral house is a standalone constructing that is roughly 2,500 sq. toes.

Cohen mentioned the Hallfords bought the property in November 2021 and appeared to have leased it for a number of years prior. Jon and Carie every owned 45% of the corporate, whereas a 3rd particular person owned the remaining shares for Hallford Houses LLC, Cohen testified.

Prosecutors proceeded to point out dozens of images taken throughout the execution of the search warrant on the funeral dwelling in early October 2023. One of many footage confirmed an indication on the entrance door stating the enterprise was closed as a consequence of COVID-19.

Investigators mentioned the search started on October 5 and ended on October 13. Whereas on the stand, Cohen mentioned investigators found 189 adults, infants and fetuses contained in the funeral dwelling.

Tissues have been handed out to victims within the gallery as extra images have been proven to the courtroom. Our bodies have been saved in varied methods inside the constructing. Some have been solely uncovered whereas others had partial coverings. Some have been wrapped in blankets generally present in a hospice-type dwelling, whereas others have been wrapped in plastic and duct tape. The photographs included our bodies in short-term physique luggage, black plastic totes, and cardboard bins generally used within the cremation course of.

Investigators mentioned it was round 70 levels Fahrenheit contained in the funeral dwelling once they first entered. Cohen mentioned the “makeshift refrigeration items” weren’t working correctly and have been getting used to retailer our bodies.

“It appeared like one thing you’d prefer to neglect however cannot,” Cohen testified.

Images confirmed the ground — usually a white cream shade — stained darkish brown from decomposition fluids. Cohen mentioned investigators needed to put cardboard all the way down to stroll by many rooms for the reason that fluid was so thick and slippery.

In different rooms, there have been numerous bugs littered throughout the bottom, a lot in order that the carpet appeared patterned. Extra footage confirmed bins of baking soda and luggage of fast concrete combine contained in the funeral dwelling. The within home windows have been lined with both a drape or curtain, the photographs present.

One {photograph} confirmed a bag containing a physique that had come untied and stays have been spilling out of the bag right into a bucket.

One other image confirmed a metallic equipment within the background. Cohen defined it was a home made water cremation machine that appeared to have been used sooner or later.

Cohen mentioned right now, there are roughly 30 to 40 our bodies that haven’t been recognized. He mentioned the earliest recorded date of dying was September 15, 2019 — 1,481 days earlier than the invention. The newest date of dying was August 22, 2023, Cohen mentioned.

The overwhelming majority of deaths, round 70%, occurred in El Paso County.

In line with Cohen, 23 our bodies had a dying date in 2019, 61 our bodies had a dying date in 2020, 17 our bodies had a dying date in 2022 and 40 our bodies had a dying date in 2023. No our bodies have to date been recorded with a dying date in 2021.

Through the protection’s cross-examination, Cohen mentioned there have been staff working at Return to Nature Funeral Residence in 2021 who appeared to have a really proactive function within the disposal of human stays.

The funeral dwelling had a working surveillance system, and one snapshot from the early morning hours of September 9 was proven to the courtroom. It seems to point out Jon contained in the funeral dwelling, surrounded by decomposing our bodies. Cohen mentioned the video reveals Jon eradicating a physique from a cart and continuing to herald not less than 4 extra our bodies.

One of many our bodies investigators recognized was imagined to be buried at Pikes Peak Nationwide Cemetery. The person was a US Military Sergeant First Class (SFC) who was honorably discharged after serving for 20 years. Cohen mentioned the stays inside their gravesite — which was exhumed — didn’t match the intercourse of the one that was imagined to be buried there. The stays have been tightly wrapped in plastic and lined in duct tape.

Financial institution data have been additionally obtained for the enterprise account linked to the Hallfords. Some transactions gave the impression to be linked to their enterprise, based on Cohen, whereas others have been “extravagant” and never associated.

A Residence Depot account in Jon Hallford’s identify confirmed a number of years of purchases that included roughly a ton of quick-mix concrete, based on Cohen. The agent mentioned there was no proof of an ongoing mission that might require a lot concrete.

In one in every of Jon’s earlier court docket appearances, his protection counsel said he’s a veteran. Cohen mentioned data he discovered confirmed Jon spent roughly 47 days within the navy.

The second witness on the stand, Agent Christopher Adams with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI), mentioned Carie accomplished a check with the Colorado Division of Public Well being and Atmosphere (CDPHE) that was wanted to register for digital dying certificates. The dying certificates weren’t right, based on Adams, and listed the disposition of stays as both burial or cremation.

The final witness to testify Thursday was Kevin Clark, knowledgeable intelligence analyst who works with the 4th Judicial District Lawyer’s Workplace. He accomplished a preliminary evaluation of Jon and Carie’s cell telephones, together with their son’s cellphone.

One textual content dialog in Might 2020 between Jon and Carie seems to point out Carie asking Jon to contact potential shoppers. Some parts of the messages have been missed, that are depicted by ellipses beneath:

Jon Hallford: “We simply now have a grip on Penrose and we’re days away from getting this rolling. I don’t f****** have time for this, in the event that they need to have a closed casket fast graveside service with us tremendous…”

Carie Hallford: “I’ll provide you with their quantity.”

Jon Hallford: “I’m killing myself to try to save our a**. I don’t have time for extracurricular bullsh**.”

Carie sends the household’s contact data to Jon, which was not disclosed to the courtroom.

Jon Hallford: “I actually simply advised you it was not my downside and I’m not doing something with it… the truth that you even requested this morning reveals you haven’t any concern for me getting this f****** finished… what I’m attempting to do now could be saving us from going to jail… how are we even having this god**** dialog?”

Jon Hallford: “I do not give a f*** about this household. I will give a f*** about what’s occurring in Penrose… my one and solely focus is protecting this household out of jail.”

Carie Hallford: “So once more, because you received’t do it, then you definitely might be those to inform them.”

One other textual content message dialog from October 2020 seemingly reveals Jon asking Carie to purchase tarps, blankets, towels, and absorbents.

Victims like Lisa Ostly listened in shock. Ostly used Return to Nature for her father, Bruce, who died in December 2022. Bruce cherished animals and did crossword puzzles on daily basis.

“He lived with me for the final three years,” Ostly mentioned about her father. “I cherished my dad very a lot, and he knew that. And I used to be with him in his final hours, and I slept with my head on his hand in a single day within the hospital earlier than he handed, and I held his hand. And all my youngsters known as him and advised him what a terrific impression he had on their lives, simply being curious and being light. He was only a very particular man, they usually do not make them like that anymore. So, at all times in my coronary heart, Dad.”

Ostly discovered it exhausting to explain what it was prefer to see the pictures from contained in the funeral dwelling.

“The worst image for me was once they opened up the Pikes Peak Memorial veteran grave. They exhumed the grave, and that physique was not in there. As a substitute, there was stays all duct taped up, shoved in there. I simply, I am not a navy member of the family, however I simply cannot even think about what that household felt,” Ostly mentioned.

The preliminary listening to introduced Ostly’s grief dashing again, she mentioned.

“I am numb. I am livid. I am all of the issues,” she mentioned. “That they had his physique for 10 months, and it ought to have been mud. And so they simply had it oozing throughout the whole lot else. It is simply disgusting.”

Ostly mentioned she has to summon the energy to sit down within the courtroom and abide by the decorum order, with out having any emotional outbursts. All she will take into consideration is her father throughout the proceedings.

“He did not have ashes to ashes. He did not have mud to mud. You already know, I received this field of I do not know what — I needed to give it to the FBI, they usually have not advised me what’s in it. However I count on it is concrete,” Ostly mentioned by tears. “I owe it to my dad to see the whole lot that I can see to know and attempt to perceive what occurred to him.”

Arguments associated to unsealing the arrest affidavit are set for Friday at 11 a.m. The ultimate arguments for Carie’s preliminary listening to are scheduled for subsequent week.

Jon’s preliminary listening to is about for Feb. 8.

Disturbing new particulars revealed about Colo. funeral dwelling accused of improperly storing 190 our bodies