The sentencing for Jon Hallford, the co-owner of Return to Nature Funeral Home where the bodies of nearly 200 people were discovered in various states of decomposition in October 2023, has been delayed because the judge rejected the plea agreement.

"I decided that I cannot accept the plea agreement in this case," said El Paso County Judge Eric Bentley in court on Friday afternoon.

Jon Hallford Wagoner County Sheriff

Jon Hallford co-owned the funeral home with his wife, Carie Hallford. Both have pleaded guilty to state charges in the case, including abuse of a corpse, forgery and money laundering.

"Rejecting a plea agreement is an extreme action by the court. It is reserved for the most extreme cases. And if I do reject a plea agreement as I think I mentioned earlier, the defendant ha

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