The federal sentencing for the co-owner of the Return to Nature Funeral Home that found itself under a multi-agency investigation in October 2023 has been pushed to March, court records show.

Carie Hallford was scheduled to be in a Denver court for her sentencing Wednesday after she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Her alleged co-conspirator, Jon Hallford, was already sentenced in June to 20 years in federal prison for the same charge, but has since appealed the ruling.

Court hearings in the pair’s separate state and federal cases have moved slowly, with several delays. The Wednesday sentencing was postponed to March 16 due to a civil jury trial happening at the same time.

The case began in October 2023 when reports of a “foul odor” led to a search warrant on the Return to Nature location in Penrose, resulting in the discovery of nearly 190 decomposing bodies in various states.

The Hallfords face more than 190 state charges related to the case. Jon Hallford’s state trial will begin in February, and Carie’s is set for October, according to past Gazette coverage. The couple initially pleaded guilty in their district case too, but an El Paso County judge threw out the plea agreements after hearing argument from victims in the case.

Carie filed for divorce from Jon in August.