Officials: Number of decaying bodies found at Colorado funeral home rises to 189

PENROSE, Colo. — The number of decaying bodies removed from a Colorado funeral home has risen to at least 189, up from approximately 115 when they were discovered earlier this month, authorities said Tuesday.

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According to a news release from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the decaying bodies of all decedents at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose were removed on Friday.

The agency said that “at least 189″ bodies were removed by the Fremont County Coroner’s Office and were transferred to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office.

The search ended nearly two weeks of investigations after a search warrant was executed by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 4. The FBI was also involved in the investigation, along with the county’s coroner’s office and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, KKTV reported.

Officials said the new figure could rise again as the investigation continues, the television station reported.

Fremont Sheriff Allen Cooper described the scene as “horrific,” according to The Associated Press.

Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller said his department will attempt to confirm the identities of the bodies, the news release stated.

“We are conducting extensive coordination efforts as we focus on the identification of the decedents and provide notifications to ensure the families are given accurate information to prevent further victimization as they continue to grieve their loved ones,” Keller said in a statement.

The Return to Nature Funeral Home performs “green” burials, according to the AP. Burials are performed without embalming chemicals, and metal caskets are not used.

Under Colorado law, green burials are legal but state code requires that a body not buried within 24 hours must be properly refrigerated, according to the news organization.

Keller said the investigation was originally launched because residents in the area complained about an odor coming from the funeral home, KKTV reported. Authorities found bodies that were stored improperly, according to the television station.

KOAA-TV reported that according to state records, the owner of the funeral home, Jon Hallford, allegedly told Zen Mayhugh, Colorado’s program director for the Office of Funeral Home and Crematory Registration, that he practiced taxidermy at the property.

The document also stated that Hallford “attempted to conceal the improper storage of human remains” at the funeral home.

Attempts to reach Hallford, his wife Carie and Return to Nature have been unsuccessful, according to the AP.