DENVER — In a troubling case, a funeral home owner is set to appear in court this Friday to face charges involving the mishandling of human remains. Miles Harford is expected to enter a plea regarding two counts of forgery, one count of abuse of a corpse, and one count of theft during the arraignment process in state court in Denver.

Harford, 34 years of age, is being represented by the state public defender’s office, which traditionally refrains from making public statements on ongoing cases. The disturbing details of the case came to light when authorities uncovered remains at Harford’s residence while executing an eviction notice last February. Among the findings was the body of Christina Rosales, a 63-year-old woman who had succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease, discovered wrapped in blankets in the rear of a hearse. Additionally, 35 cremated remains were reportedly concealed around his property, scattered between the hearse and even hidden within the crawlspace.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of unsettling prosecutions within Colorado’s funeral industry over the past decade. Notable past cases include one funeral home that was found to have illicitly sold body parts and another involved a situation where nearly 200 corpses were left to decay, with families allegedly receiving counterfeit ashes in return.

Historically, Colorado’s regulations governing funeral homes have been considered some of the least stringent in the United States. However, the emergence of such horrific cases has prompted legislative reform. Earlier this year, Governor Jared Polis enacted two new laws aimed at enhancing oversight within the funeral industry, striving to align Colorado’s practices with those of most other states.