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Former Denver funeral director’s arraignment delayed for fourth time

Victims' families upset with delays, and the judge allowing Miles Harford's ankle monitor to be removed.

The arraignment for a former funeral director accused of storing a woman’s body in a hearse and driving it around was delayed for a fourth time Friday.

Miles Harford has been charged with two counts of forgery, one count of abuse of a corpse and one count of theft, but prosecutors hinted early in the case that additional charges may be added.

Arraignments are when defendants enter a plea to charges they face, and a trial date is typically set.

Harford stood tall at the podium in a suit and tie and answered questions from the judge with a confident voice. His plea was continued after attorneys for both sides had a short conference with Second Judicial District Judge Jay Grant.

Grant also allowed Harford, 34, to have his GPS monitor taken off because he reasoned that there have been no reports of non-compliance. Denver Deputy District Attorney Katie Horton objected to the removal of the ankle monitor.

“We have family members present online,” said Horton. “They have mixed feelings about removal of monitoring.”

The family of Christina Rosales was listening to Harford’s hearing on WebEx Friday. It was Rosales’ body, police said, Harford stored in a hearse which he kept in his yard.

“I’m appalled that the GPS is off,” Rosales’ twin sister Cathy Vorndran said via email. “I feel like the prosecutors are doing a good job, but the fact that he gets it off is meaning he’s been a good boy. What about my sister? I’m feeling the judge is not thinking about us. Arraignment after arraignment … we do feel forgotten.”

Last February, authorities also discovered the cremains of at least 30 people in the basement of Harford’s Littleton home and there has been little said since then about to whom they belonged.

Another victim, Irene Lucero, is angry that Harford’s case has taken so long and feels that without being monitored by GPS, he could decide to flee.

“I think he’s a scammer. He needs to be monitored. To let him off the GPS is a big mistake,” she said.

Because Lucero spent 27 years in law enforcement in Trinidad and Weld County, she has been following Harford’s case from not only a personal stake, but from the eyes of a detective.

Harford took care of the cremation for Lucero’s daughter-in-law and son, who died four years apart from one another. She said Harford owes her around $4,000 for services she paid for, but which he never did.

Now, she’s frustrated with the amount of time Harford’s prosecution is taking. She said she’s written letters and prosecutors have promised her that she’ll get justice, but she’s starting to wonder why the man she alleged bilked her hasn’t been charged for it.

“I’m like a fireball with this thing. I’m not letting it go,” she said.

Harford is expected to enter a plea at his next hearing, which is scheduled for Dec. 9 in Denver District Court.

Miles Harford, 33, a funeral director whose rental property had a crawl space which contained the cremains of dozens of people and a dead body under a blanket stored in an inoperable hearse, was arrested last February after being on the run. (Courtesy photo, Ronna Phelps)
Miles Harford, 33, a funeral director whose rental property had a crawl space which contained the cremains of dozens of people and a dead body under a blanket stored in an inoperable hearse, was arrested last February after being on the run. (Courtesy photo, Ronna Phelps)
Miles Harford performs a funeral service in 2017 for his company, Apollo Funeral and Cremations. Cremains and a body in a hearse were discovered at his Littleton home last February. (Courtesy photo, Donna Pilcher)
Miles Harford performs a funeral service in 2017 for his company, Apollo Funeral and Cremations. Cremains and a body in a hearse were discovered at his Littleton home last February. (Courtesy photo, Donna Pilcher)
J.J. Lucero and his mother, Irene, stand outside of Denver's J.J. Flanigan Courthouse after Miles Harford's hearing Tuesday. Harford took care of the cremation for Mrs. Lucero's daughter-in-law and son, who died four years apart from one another. She said Harford owes her around $4,000 for services she paid for, but which he never did. (CarolMcKinleyDenver Enterprise Reportercarol.mckinley@gazette.comhttps://denvergazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/5/c3/a0f/5c3a0fbe-1007-11ec-9e18-b7f42cfa4b0f.9565a0ce58866e86bcf18260621c2a46.png)
J.J. Lucero and his mother, Irene, stand outside of Denver’s J.J. Flanigan Courthouse after Miles Harford’s hearing Tuesday. Harford took care of the cremation for Mrs. Lucero’s daughter-in-law and son, who died four years apart from one another. She said Harford owes her around $4,000 for services she paid for, but which he never did. (CarolMcKinleyDenver Enterprise [email protected]://denvergazette.com/content/tncms/avatars/5/c3/a0f/5c3a0fbe-1007-11ec-9e18-b7f42cfa4b0f.9565a0ce58866e86bcf18260621c2a46.png)


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