Court filings revealed a Colorado couple who ran an “eco-friendly” funeral home reportedly defrauded hundreds of families by pocketing monies intended for cremation and burial.
Instead of keeping their pledges, they spent the money on extravagant purchases such as fancy automobiles, bitcoin, and designer jewelry, leaving over 200 remains to decay in filthy conditions, according to The New York Post.
So, there’s this couple, Jon and Carie Hallford, who were running a business called Return to Nature, which offered “traditional burials” and eco-friendly options for roughly $1,895.
But it turns out that they weren’t precisely placing that money where they stated they would. Instead, they were treating themselves lavishly.
For example, they spent about $93k on a GMC Yukon XL and over $28k on an Infiniti SUV, as well as lavishing themselves with bitcoin, costly vacations, and luxury shopping trips. Talk about taking folks for a ride, right?
Meanwhile, court filings state that the bodies of 189 people in their care were left unattended in chambers infested with vermin and filled with rotting liquid. This blatant disregard for their client’s preferences and the remains of their loved ones has aroused outrage and raised fears about potential legal ramifications.
According to ABC 7, fresh alarming details emerged after a court ruled that Jon Hallford’s case may proceed to trial. According to the article, Carie received the same verdict last month. Both face a number of crimes related to their transactions, including abuse of a corpse, forgery, and money laundering, with an arraignment scheduled for March 21.
“It is truly disheartening,” Danica Romero said, thinking about the heinous act of manipulating people at their most vulnerable and sensitive moments. Samantha, her sister who died suddenly in December 2019, was entrusted to Return to Nature for a dignified cremation.
“I can’t imagine what kind of individual would commit such a thing. Someone who is completely heartless… My sister did not deserve this. “None of the families involved in this mess deserved it,” she said with anguish.