Families react to funeral home owner skipping court-ordered sobriety test, legal experts weigh in

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Families whose loved ones were victimized by the Return to Nature funeral home are in disbelief after one of the co-owners, Carie Hallford, skipped a sobriety test mandated by the judge.

Hallford bailed out of the El Paso County jail on February 27th, just 9 days prior to when El Paso County courts learned that she missed a mandatory sobriety test.

Hallford and her husband Jon's bond conditions state they are required to take two sobriety tests per week, which are given to them at random.

However, families say this situation is exactly what they were worried about when Carie and Jon had their bonds lowered from $2 million to $100,000 in January.

"They clearly have complete disregard for our families and for the law. So part of me wasn't surprised,  but a part of me was just very disturbed," said Tanya Wilson, whose mother was identified amongst the nearly 200 bodies found within Carie and Jon's Return to Nature facility in Penrose.

This was Carie's first full week that she had to comply with taking the sobriety tests. Along with that requirement, she has to wear a GPS tracker and is also required to check in with her attorney three times a week.

Criminal defense lawyer Jeremy Loew based in Colorado Springs, says that people in Carie's position have two obligations when out on bond: to help their defense case as much as possible, and to comply with bond conditions.

Carie is now required to appear before a judge next week on March 14th, to explain why she missed that random drug test.

"The judge will have to determine whether or not her excuse is good enough to warrant her staying out of custody  If the judge finds that it's not.  He absolutely can revoke the bond."

Families whose loved ones were victimized at Return to Nature Funeral Home say this is just more disappointment and think she should be back in custody sooner rather than later.

"It was almost like it's the family's worst fears realized. That's what they've already proven themselves to be a flight risk. They fled to Oklahoma. We already know that they're unscrupulous people, and that's putting it mildly," explained Tanya Wilson.

Carie Hallford's attorney, while unable to speak on the case as ordered by the court, says that he will address many of the families and the public's questions at that court date, on the record.