The funeral dwelling was raided by native officers.
A Colorado couple working an “eco-friendly” funeral dwelling allegedly bilked lots of of households by pocketing funds meant for cremation and burials, based on court docket paperwork. As a substitute of honoring their guarantees, they spent the cash on lavish purchases like luxurious vehicles, cryptocurrency, and designer jewellery, whereas leaving almost 200 our bodies to decompose in unsanitary situations, based on The New York Publish.
Jon and Carie Hallford ran Return to Nature, promoting “conventional burials” and biodegradable choices for as much as $1,895. Nevertheless, investigators discovered the couple used the funds for private achieve, buying a $92,566 GMC Yukon XL, a $28,336 Infiniti SUV, and indulging in cryptocurrency, costly holidays, and high-end procuring sprees, the news portal additional reported.
In the meantime, the stays of 189 people entrusted to their care sat unattended in “bug-infested rooms full of liquid decomposition,” court docket paperwork allege. This blatant disregard for his or her purchasers’ needs and the stays of their family members has sparked outrage and raised questions on potential authorized repercussions.
In accordance with ABC 7, the newest disturbing revelations got here to mild as a decide dominated that the case in opposition to Jon Hallford may proceed to trial. The court docket made the same ruling for Carie final month, the outlet famous. Each are set to be arraigned on a slew of prices, together with abuse of a corpse, forgery, and cash laundering associated to their purchases, on March 21.
“To prey on individuals within the weakest, most weak time of their lives is completely despicable,” stated Danica Romero, whose sister, Samantha, was purported to be cremated by Return to Nature after she died unexpectedly in December 2019.
“I do not know what sort of individual even does that. Somebody who does not have a soul… My sister did not deserve this. Not one of the households concerned deserve this,” she lamented.
