Authorities have recovered 189 decaying bodies from a funeral home in Colorado, up from an initial count of 115 reported two weeks ago. Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper described the scene at the Return to Nature funeral home in Penrose as "horrific".
The remains were discovered after officials responded to reports of a foul odour at the decrepit building. A search warrant was executed on 4 October, and an FBI team specialising in mass casualty events has been assisting with identification efforts.
The funeral home's owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, had faced mounting financial problems, including missed tax payments, eviction from a property, and a lawsuit from a crematory that ended its relationship with them. In a phone call with state regulators, Jon Hallford acknowledged a "problem" at the site and claimed he practised taxidermy there.
Attempts to reach the Hallfords have been unsuccessful, with no response to calls or messages. Return to Nature offered cremations and "green" burials without embalming fluid, but Colorado law requires bodies to be properly refrigerated if not buried within 24 hours.
More than 120 families have contacted law enforcement, fearing their relatives may be among the dead. Coroner Leon Kelly said identification could take weeks. The case has highlighted Colorado's weak funeral home regulations, which include no routine inspections or qualification requirements for operators.
