Death is usually quiet. It’s private. But for hundreds of families in Colorado, the silence was broken by a scandal so visceral it feels like something out of a gothic horror novel. If you are looking for the Return to Nature Funeral Home address, you are likely trying to piece together a map of a tragedy that spans from a storefront in Colorado Springs to a decaying building in the small town of Penrose.
It’s messy. It’s heartbreaking. Honestly, it’s one of the most significant failures of death-care regulation in modern American history.
For years, Return to Nature marketed itself as a "green" alternative. They promised back-to-earth burials. No chemicals. No heavy metal caskets. Just nature. But behind the eco-friendly branding was a reality that eventually required the FBI and the EPA to step in with hazmat suits. People aren't just searching for a street number; they are searching for answers about where their loved ones actually ended up.
The Two Locations: A Tale of Two Cities
When people talk about the Return to Nature Funeral Home address, they are usually referring to one of two distinct spots.
The business front was located at 112 East Fountain Boulevard, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. This was the office. This was where the grieving sat on couches and talked about "returning to the earth." It looked like any other professional building. You’d drive by it and think nothing of it.
But the horror was centered about thirty miles south.
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The actual site of the recovery—the place that became a crime scene—is located at 31 West Pikes Peak Avenue, Penrose, CO 81240. This was the "storage" facility. It was a nondescript, single-story brick building. Neighbors had been complaining about a foul odor for months. They thought it was a plumbing issue or maybe a dead animal under the floorboards. It was much worse.
What Investigators Found in Penrose
In October 2023, law enforcement entered that Penrose building. What they found was a staggering 190 bodies. They weren't stored in refrigerated units. They weren't being prepared for "green" burials. They were simply stacked. Some had been there since 2019.
Think about that for a second.
Four years of neglect in a building that wasn't equipped to hold even a fraction of that number. The owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, were eventually arrested in Oklahoma. The charges? Money laundering, theft, forgery, and abuse of a corpse. It wasn't just a business failure; it was a total abandonment of human decency.
Why the Address Became a Crime Scene
The Penrose location became the epicenter of a massive forensic operation. Because the bodies had been left in non-refrigerated conditions for so long, identification became a nightmare. The FBI’s Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT) had to be called in. These are the same experts who handle mass casualty events like plane crashes or terrorist attacks.
Families who thought they had their loved ones' ashes on their mantels suddenly realized those urns might contain dry concrete mix or something else entirely.
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The physical Return to Nature Funeral Home address in Penrose had to be demolished. In early 2024, the EPA took over the site. They couldn't just knock it down. Because of the biological hazards, they had to use specialized equipment to ensure that no pathogens were released into the Penrose air. It was a surgical demolition.
The Regulatory Black Hole in Colorado
You might be wondering: how did this happen?
Colorado was, for a long time, the "Wild West" of the funeral industry. Believe it or not, until very recently, you didn't even need a high school diploma to be a funeral director in Colorado. There were no routine inspections for funeral homes. If you had a business license and a building, you were basically good to go.
The Hallfords exploited this lack of oversight. They collected money for cremations they never performed. They handed out fake death certificates. They took advantage of the "green burial" trend, knowing that families looking for eco-friendly options are often looking for simplicity and less "corporate" intervention.
The Impact on the Green Burial Movement
This scandal didn't just hurt the families involved. It cast a shadow over the entire natural burial industry. Genuine green burial providers—people who actually care about the environment and the dignity of the deceased—now have to work twice as hard to prove they aren't scammers.
Natural burial is a beautiful concept. It involves:
- No embalming fluids (which are toxic to the soil).
- Biodegradable shrouds or wicker caskets.
- Burial in protected land that doubles as a nature preserve.
But Return to Nature wasn't doing that. They were just hoarding bodies in a warehouse. It’s a distinction that matters. If you are looking for a legitimate green burial today, the Return to Nature Funeral Home address serves as a grim reminder to do your homework. Check for certifications from the Green Burial Council. Ask to see the refrigeration units. Don't be afraid to ask the "weird" questions.
The Legal Aftermath and What’s Left
The legal proceedings against the Hallfords are ongoing and complex. There are hundreds of counts of felony crimes. The evidence includes thousands of pages of financial records showing that the money meant for cremations was spent on luxury vehicles, fancy dinners, and crypto.
The Penrose site is now an empty lot. But for the community, it’s not "empty." It’s a scar.
How Families Are Moving Forward
For the families affected, the address represents a point of trauma, but also a point of beginning. Many had to hold second funerals once their loved ones were finally identified via DNA testing.
- DNA Identification: The El Paso County Coroner's Office worked tirelessly to match remains to living relatives.
- Civil Lawsuits: Multiple class-action lawsuits have been filed against the Hallfords, though whether there is any money left to recover is a big question mark.
- New Legislation: The Colorado legislature finally stepped up, passing laws that require stricter licensing and regular inspections of funeral homes. It’s a "too little, too late" situation for the 190 victims, but it protects future families.
Practical Steps for Verifying a Funeral Home
If you’re navigating the death-care industry and feeling paranoid because of what happened at the Return to Nature Funeral Home address, that’s completely understandable. Here is how you protect yourself and your loved ones.
First, check the license status through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) or your specific state's board. Just because a website looks professional doesn't mean the license is current.
Second, ask for a tour. A reputable funeral director will show you their facility, including the back rooms where bodies are prepared. If they make excuses or say certain areas are "off-limits for your comfort," take that as a massive red flag.
Third, get a General Price List (GPL). By law (the FTC Funeral Rule), funeral homes must provide this to you. If they are vague about pricing or try to bundle things without transparency, walk away.
Fourth, look for third-party oversight. If they claim to be a green funeral home, are they certified by the Green Burial Council? If they perform cremations, do they own their own crematory, or do they outsource it? If they outsource, where is that address? You have the right to know every stop your loved one makes on their final journey.
The tragedy in Penrose happened because of a lack of transparency and a lack of oversight. The best way to honor those lost is to demand better from the industry moving forward. The Return to Nature Funeral Home address shouldn't just be a footnote in a true-crime story; it should be the catalyst for a permanent change in how we treat our dead.
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If you believe you were a client of Return to Nature during the years 2019–2023 and have not been contacted by the FBI or the Coroner's office, you should reach out to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. They maintain a database for the Penrose investigation. Even if you think you have your loved one's remains, if they passed through that business, there is a chance those remains are not who you think they are. It’s a hard truth, but knowing is usually better than the haunting doubt that follows a scandal of this magnitude.
Moving forward, focus on providers who participate in open-book practices. The industry is changing, and while the "Wild West" days in Colorado are hopefully over, the responsibility of due diligence still falls heavily on the consumer during their most vulnerable moments.
Actionable Next Steps
- Verify Licensing: Visit the DORA website to check the current standing of any Colorado funeral home.
- Request Records: If you worked with Return to Nature, ensure you have copies of all contracts and death certificates for your own legal protection.
- Support Reform: Stay informed on local legislation regarding the "Funeral Service Workers Title Protection Act" and similar bills that aim to professionalize the industry.
- Consult the Green Burial Council: If you are seeking an eco-friendly burial, use their vetted provider list to find facilities that meet strict environmental and ethical standards.