A couple who owned a Colorado funeral home where authorities discovered 190 decaying bodies last year have been indicted on federal charges for misspending nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds on personal expenses. The couple allegedly used the funds for vacations, cosmetic surgery, jewelry, and other luxuries, according to court documents unsealed Monday.
The indictment also accuses the couple of giving families dry concrete instead of cremated ashes and burying the wrong body on two occasions. Additionally, they collected over $130,000 from families for services they never provided.
These federal charges add to the more than 200 criminal counts pending against the couple in Colorado state court for corpse abuse, money laundering, theft, and forgery. The federal offenses carry potential penalties of 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
The couple, owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs, appeared in federal court where prosecutors argued they were a flight risk. The judge has yet to decide on their release pending trial.
The new charges have caused further distress to families who entrusted their loved ones to the funeral home. Many families, like Tanya Wilson, discovered that the ashes they received were not those of their relatives.
Public records show that the couple had financial troubles, facing evictions and lawsuits for unpaid services while spending lavishly on themselves. The indictment alleges that they used pandemic relief funds to buy vehicles, dinners, tuition, and cryptocurrency.
The couple's alleged misconduct has left a trail of unpaid bills, disgruntled landlords, and unresolved business disputes. The 190 decaying bodies were found in a storage building in Penrose, Colorado, with some remains dating back to 2019.
An investigation revealed that the funeral home likely provided fake ashes and fabricated cremation records to families. The case has prompted Colorado lawmakers to introduce legislation to strengthen oversight of funeral homes in the state.
