Multiple agencies hold press conference regarding Penrose funeral home arrest
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - KRDO13 Investigates has learned the Penrose funeral homeowners under investigation for improperly storing bodies are now under arrest in Oklahoma on numerous charges.
4th Judicial District Attorney Michael J. Allen along with representatives from agencies including the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Fremont County Coroner’s Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation held a press conference today at 10:30 a.m.
The arrest was called a "huge milestone" by the District Attorneys office, as its now the first step in a long process of justice for the near 200 families that entrusted the Return to Nature funeral homes with their loved ones over the last several years.
The Hallfords are being held on 2 million dollar cash bonds in the Muskogee County jail in Oklahoma after being arrested in Wagoner, Oklahoma, an area we know Jon Hallford has previously called home once before.
The two were taken in on suspicion of charges related to fraud, forgery abuse of a corpse and money laundering. Allen noted that those charges are low-level felonies, and the Hallfords could be eligible for prison time, but also probation, however those are not charges that have been officially filed in court yet.
The 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office explains that they will review the allegations and evidence against the Hallfords, and will file what they think are the appropriate charges in El Paso County, once the couple is extradited here to Colorado, and that review is completed.
District Attorney Michael Allen remarked that considering multiple challenging factors within the investigation, the Hallfords were arrested pretty "quickly", in the grand scheme of it all.
Allen added that because the Hallfords were arrested in a different state, their first advisement in El Paso County District Court will be determined from that extradition process.
Allen would not share details on what led up to the Hallfords arrest or how the couple was found over 700 miles away. However since the press conference, KRDO 13 Investigates was able to learn that the FBI had tracked the couple using their phone.
The FBI says that the case and investigation remain ongoing. Fremont County Sheriff said that the investigation has been very hard on his staff.
The court document that explains all the evidence and circumstances that led to officials getting a warrant for the Hallfords arrest on state charges, was described by Allen as "absolutely shockingly", and said those documents would be sealed to the public for the foreseeable future.
Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller also provided an update on the identification process, saying 110 bodies have been identified out of the 190 they discovered within the Return to Nature facility in Penrose.
Keller said Individuals are being identified by dental records, fingerprints, and medical hardware. When those efforts are no longer successful, they will use DNA testing.
He added 25 bodies have been released to their loved ones as of Nov. 8, 2023.
Anyone who used Return to Nature Funeral Home since Sep. 2019 is asked to please send an email to penrosefuneralhome@fbi.gov. Officials say this is the most effective way to connect with resources.
The press conference can be watched above.
