Jon Hallford, the Return to Nature Funeral Home co-owner facing hundreds of felony charges after the discovery of 189 improperly stored bodies, is headed to trial after the completion of his preliminary hearing Thursday.

Judge William Moller decided to bind over four counts of money laundering charges for trial. Hallford did not face preliminary hearing on the remaining 256 charges due to his out-of-custody status, and will face trial on all charges. Hallford was not entitled to a preliminary hearing on the remaining 256 charges due to Colorado law, which states that out-of-custody defendants are not entitled to a preliminary hearing for charges below a class-3 felony, which make up the bulk of charges against Jon Hallford and Return to Nature co-owner, Carie Hallford. 

The Hallfords are facing 260 felony charges stemming from the discovery of 189 improperly stored bodies at a building in Penrose connected to the Return to Nature Funeral Home. The charges include 190 counts of abuse of a corpse, 61 counts of forgery and four counts of both theft and money laundering. 

Following the conclusion of Jon Hallford’s preliminary hearing, media and disgruntled victims swarmed the Return to Nature co-owner — who is currently out of custody after posting a $100,000 surety bond last month — demanding answers as Jon Hallford walked out of the courthouse with his attorneys for several blocks before ducking into the public defender’s office. 

Heather DeWolf, whose son Zach DeWolf is among the remains that have yet to be identified, was one of several victims who berated Jon Hallford as he attempted to leave the crowd with his attorneys. 

“Where is my son, look at my son. This is my son,” DeWolf yelled at Hallford while waving her shirt with her son’s picture on it at Jon Hallford. “What did you do with him? What did you do with my son!”

“Come on Jon, we’re only four feet behind you, you can’t answer our questions?” Crystina Page, whose son David Page was one of the bodies found at the Penrose Return to Nature facility, yelled at Jon Hallford. 

Mark Miller, whose brother was one of the bodies found at the Return to Nature Penrose facility, said he found it disturbing watching Jon Hallford leave court after the hearing. 

“I still get sick to my stomach,” Miller said of Jon Hallford being out on bond. “I still am upset because I have to watch him walk out of here in a three-piece suit, and go someplace. Hopefully we see him come back and face justice.”  

During Hallford’s preliminary hearing prosecutor Rachel Powell briefly reviewed the evidence presented in significant detail at Carie Hallford’s preliminary hearing last month. 

During Carie Hallford’s three-hour long hearing prosecutors reviewed gruesome evidence photos of Return to Nature’s Penrose location, showing the haphazard way in which the Hallford family disposed of bodies in the location, and the horrific conditions of the building itself. 

“It looked like something you want to forget but can’t,” FBI Special Agent Andrew Cohen remarked at one point during his testimony at Carie Hallford’s preliminary hearing. 

Cohen testified again on Thursday at Jon Hallford’s preliminary hearing and spoke primarily about Return to Nature’s business expenses, highlighting that the Hallfords used money from the business for numerous personal expenses. Cohen testified that the Hallfords bought two cars, including a GMC Yukon that cost over $90,000, with money from the business. 

Cohen stated during his testimony that he estimated the money used by the Hallfords to buy the two cars could have been used to cremate all 189 bodies found at the Return to Nature Penrose location twice, stating that he estimated it would have cost the Hallfords approximately $57,000 to cremate all 189 bodies. 

Additionally, Cohen testified that the Hallfords used business expenses for various other personal purchases, such as: Traveling, entertainment, bars, restaurants and crypto currency investments. Cohen specifically highlighted how the Hallfords once used the funds from the Return to Nature business to pay for a $1,500 dinner in Las Vegas in February 2022. 

Following a brief recess, Judge Moller stated simply that he would be binding over the four money laundering charges for trial, despite objections from Jon Hallford’s attorney, Jonathon Stafford.

“I’m glad they’re binding it over and not letting it go,” DeWolf said. “He (Jon Hallford) owes us a lot of answers. He needs to tell me where my son is. He’s a coward, he’s a coward.”

“I’m extremely happy about how that went,” Miller said. “I’m happy that he’s going to face trial.” 

Jon Hallford’s wife and Return to Nature co-owner, Carie Hallford, completed her preliminary hearing at the end of January where Judge Moller opted to bind over all 260 charges for trial. 

Carie Hallford remains in custody at the El Paso County jail on a $100,000 bond at the time of writing. 

“Orange is definitely her color, and I hope she stays there (in jail) forever,” Page said regarding Carie Hallford.  

At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing a brief press conference was held at the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office to give updates about the case, as well as the body identification process.

Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen stated that 22 bodies found at Return to Nature’s Penrose facility remain unidentified, and urged any families who had done business with the funeral home in the past to reach out to law enforcement. 

“We’re hopeful,” Allen said when asked if he believed the remaining bodies would be identified. “It’s going to take some very diligent work… from the coroner’s office down in Fremont County. It’s going to take diligent effort on the part of community members also to get them the information they need.” 

Jon and Carie Hallford will return to court on March 21 for an arraignment hearing, where Allen stated he expects both Return to Nature owners to enter not guilty pleas. 

“That’s not even part of our calculus at this particular juncture,” Allen said when asked about the possibility of a plea deal for either Return to Nature owner. 

Allen continued that he hopes to have Jon and Carie Hallford’s cases joined in the future so they can be tried together, and that he’s “hopeful” their trial will take place in 2024. 

The Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office asks any community members who conducted business with Return to Nature Funeral Home after January, 2019, to reach out to law enforcement at [email protected] or 719-472-3856.