New Colorado Funeral Home Scandal Unveils Shocking Discovery of Cremated Remains and Deceased Woman's Body
A disturbing revelation has shaken the community in Colorado as an arrest warrant has been issued for Miles Harford, the owner of the now-shuttered Apollo Funeral and Cremation Services in Littleton, accused of harboring the cremated remains of at least 30 individuals in a rental property and the body of a deceased woman in a hearse for two years.
Denver Police Department's investigation into Harford's activities uncovered a troubling scene at the home he was renting, where boxes of cremated remains were found by the property owner during a cleaning process.
A hearse is parked outside a home where the remains of 30 people were found in Denver, Colorado. (The Guardian)
Additionally, a dead woman's body was discovered in the hearse on the property, shedding light on an unsettling series of events involving mishandling of human remains.
Denver Police Commander Matt Clark revealed in a news conference that Harford allegedly provided families with incorrect remains, deceiving them into believing they had received the ashes of their loved ones.
The family of the woman found in the hearse was devastated to learn that they had been misled about the identity of the remains they had received, leading to profound shock and disbelief.
The residence where a former funeral home owner kept a deceased women's body in a hearse for two years as well as the remains of 30 cremated people in Denver, Colo. on Feb. 16, 2024. (NBC NEWS)
Amid suspicions of financial struggles, Harford faces grave charges of abuse of a corpse, forgery of a death certificate, and theft. His whereabouts are currently believed to be in the Denver area, with authorities diligently pursuing the case to bring justice to the families affected by his alleged misconduct.
The complexity of the case extends to the medical examiner's office, where efforts to identify the recovered remains have encountered challenges due to the nature of cremated ashes. Clark mentioned the difficulty of conducting DNA tests on the remains and hinted at the possibility of additional charges as the investigation unfolds.
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Harford's case is not the only funeral home investigation in Colorado, a state that has no routine inspections or qualification requirements for funeral home operators, according to the Associated Press.
In October, more than 115 improperly stored bodies were found in a Penrose, Colorado funeral home after authorities responded to a report of an odor. The owner of the facility, known for performing "green" burials, had tried to conceal the improper storage of the bodies, AP reported.
This newest disturbing incident sheds light on broader concerns regarding funeral home operations in Colorado. The lack of routine inspections and qualification requirements for funeral home operators in the state has raised alarms about potential lapses in oversight and accountability within the industry.