The owners of a Colorado funeral home, Jon and Carie Hallford, are set to appear in court on Tuesday, facing a multitude of serious allegations. The couple, who own Return to Nature Funeral Home, are accused of abusing corpses, stealing, laundering money, and forging documents. The shocking discovery of 190 decomposing bodies at their facility in Penrose, Colorado, was made by investigators in early October.

According to a federal affidavit, the bodies were found stacked on top of each other, with some having death dates as far back as 2019. It was revealed in court records that family members had been deceived into believing their loved ones had been cremated when, in fact, their bodies were left to decay. Additionally, these families had received materials that were not the ashes of their deceased relatives. Shockingly, several families who had hired Return to Nature for cremation services were privately informed by the FBI that their loved ones were among the decomposing bodies.

In an attempt to evade prosecution, the Hallfords were apprehended in Oklahoma last month and have been held in custody on a $2 million bond. Both Jon and Carie Hallford have been charged with approximately 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, five counts of theft, four counts of money laundering, and over 50 counts of forgery.

Jon Hallford is currently being represented by the public defender's office, which typically does not provide comments on ongoing cases to the media. On the other hand, Carie Hallford is being represented by attorney Michael Stuzynski, who declined to provide any comments regarding the case.

Following the removal of the bodies from the Penrose facility, authorities began the challenging task of identifying the remains. Fingerprints, dental records, medical hardware, and DNA were utilized in this process. It is worth mentioning that Return to Nature Funeral Home's main business operations are based in Colorado Springs, located just west of Penrose.

This appalling incident has highlighted the need for stricter regulations and oversight within the funeral home industry. The families affected by this tragedy will undoubtedly be seeking answers and justice as they navigate through the painful process of coming to terms with the mistreatment of their loved ones' remains. As the court proceedings unfold, it is hoped that the truth will be revealed, and those responsible will be held accountable for their heinous actions.