A 4th Judicial District judge on Friday rejected the state plea agreement for Jon Hallford, co-owner of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, during what was expected to be his sentencing hearing.

Judge Eric Bentley said rejecting an agreement is "extreme action by the court, reserved for the most extreme cases." Despite being asked to reject plea bargains before, Friday marked the first rejection in Bentley's career in court in El Paso County.

Jon and Carie Hallford were arrested in late 2023 after over 190 bodies in various states of decomposition were uncovered at the Penrose location. The couple faced both state and federal charges.

In June, Jon Hallford was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a separate plea agr

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