150 Bodies From Penrose Funeral Home Have Been Identified

Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose. (Screencap from CBS News.com)

The El Paso County Coroner has identified 150 out of the 189 bodies that were found improperly stored at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose. 

El Paso County Coroner Leon Kelly has confirmed that his office has scientifically identified 150 bodies but still has about 40 bodies that they’re still working to identify, a process that he says could take “several months or more.”

Kelly said some of the bodies recovered have been dead for several years. He is asking anyone who used Return to Nature in the past few years to fill out the FBI’s online form. 

All of the remains are still with Kelly’s office and will begin to be released once the families are notified in person by Fremont County.

RELATED: Governor Issues Emergency Disaster Declaration to Aid Investigation of Penrose Funeral Home

Investigators are encouraging clients and families that have utilized the funeral home to make contact with law enforcement. You can email them directly at 23-1941@freemontso.com. Additionally, if you or anyone you know has any information that you feel will aid the investigation, please email tips@freemontco.com.

There is also a victim’s assistance office set up at 1901 East Main in Canon City.

Dan R