Man charged with stealing over 100 skeletal remains from PA cemetery

MEDIA, Pa. – Authorities have arrested a suspect in a disturbing case involving graveyard burglaries and the theft of human remains. 

Police investigation into graveyard burglaries 

What we know:

Jonathan Gerlach, 34, of Ephrata, Pa., has been charged with multiple offenses, including burglary and abuse of corpses. 

Detectives found bones and skulls in his car during surveillance at Mount Moriah Cemetery.

Detectives Leah Cesanek and Chris Karr, along with other law enforcement officials, led the investigation. 

They discovered over 100 sets of human remains at Gerlach’s home and storage unit in Ephrata. 

Charges and legal proceedings 

Dig deeper:

“Detectives walked into a horror movie come to life in that home. It is truly, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific,” said District Attorney Tanner Rouse. 

He expressed sympathy for those affected by the crimes. 

Prosecutors say Gerlach was arrested at the cemetery with a burlap bag containing 30 human remains, many of them children. 

A search of his home in Ephrata revealed over 100 human skulls, large bones, and jewelry taken from graves. 

Eight more skeletons were found in a nearby storage locker. 

Authorities are still piecing together the origins of the remains. 

“Detectives have recovered an awful lot of bones at this point and we are still trying to piece together who they are, where they are from and how many we are looking at,” said Tanner Rouse, Delaware County District Attorney.

Gerlach faces numerous charges, including burglary, criminal trespass, and theft by unlawful taking. 

He is currently held at George W. Hill Correctional Facility with bail set at $1 million. 

Community reactions and ongoing investigation 

Residents near Cobbs Creek Park have noticed graves being disturbed. 

Eric Schueler from West Philadelphia said, “We saw some graves that had been obviously opened or disturbed… I always suspected it was some sort of grave robbing.” 

Gerlach faces over 450 charges, including burglary, abuse of a corpse, and theft. 

Authorities are investigating a possible connection to a Facebook group dedicated to the sale of bones, where Gerlach was allegedly seen holding skulls. 

What we don’t know:

The exact purpose of Gerlach’s actions with the remains is unclear, and authorities are working to identify the remains and notify affected families.