‘Horrific:’ Greater than 100 our bodies discovered inside Colorado funeral residence, legal investigation underway

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – The Fremont County Sheriff described the scene inside a Colorado funeral residence as “horrific” tied to a legal investigation.

The funeral residence in query relies out of Colorado Springs however has a location in Penrose that’s on the middle of an investigation. A number of individuals reached out to KKTV 11 Information after they seen a big regulation enforcement presence alongside Freeway 115 Wednesday evening into Thursday. Legislation enforcement, together with the FBI, had been investigating the location of a funeral residence, Return to Nature Funeral House.

The Fremont County Coroner says the investigation began when group members reached out about an odor coming from the ability. When officers made entry, they discovered dozens of our bodies improperly saved making a “hazardous scene,” in accordance with Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller. Keller says they’re within the means of eradicating the our bodies.

“That is going to be a really, very prolonged course of,” Keller defined. “The family members at this facility will likely be handled with the utmost care and respect.”

DNA and forensic information will should be accomplished to establish all the our bodies, an investigation that would final a number of months. Fremont County declared a catastrophe emergency, making state sources obtainable to them. The FBI is supporting the investigation.

“The Fremont County Sheriff’s Workplace is asking that members of the family of decedents who utilized the Return to Nature Funeral House please ship an electronic mail to [email protected],” a launch provides. “Please go away the very best contact quantity and time to name on this electronic mail. We are going to reply to every electronic mail. If you don’t use electronic mail, then you may contact the Fremont Emergency Administration name line at (719)-276-7421. We may have victims’ help personnel responding to messages starting October 6, 2023, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm. We may also have sufferer help personnel obtainable at 1901 East Most important, Canon Metropolis CO, between 10 am and 6 pm.”

As of Friday morning, no arrests have been made within the case. A parallel federal investigation is ongoing to determine if there have been any crimes dedicated.

KKTV 11 Information has tried a number of methods to make contact with the house owners of the enterprise and we now have but to listen to again.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is predicted to offer updates as they change into obtainable.

Authorities had been additionally seen on the Colorado Springs Return to Natura location Thursday evening, the Fremont County Sheriff confirmed that was a part of the investigation however couldn’t remark extra.

In keeping with an order of abstract suspension on the Colorado Division of Regulatory Companies (DORA) web site, the proprietor of the enterprise instructed the Program Director of the Workplace Funeral House and Crematory Registration, that’s acknowledged he had a “downside” at his Penrose Property. The proprietor, John Hallford, reportedly claimed that he practiced taxidermy on the Penrose property.

In keeping with one other doc filed on DORA’s web site, Hallford allegedly failed to allow entry to an investigation on one in every of his properties on Thursday, regardless of it being required beneath regulation.

You may learn the doc under:

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