Grave Robber Arrested After 100 Human Remains Found In Basement

A Pennsylvania man is in custody after a months-long investigation into a series of disturbing break-ins at the historic Mount Moriah Cemetery. Jonathan Gerlach, 34, was apprehended on January 6 as he was leaving the graveyard.

A Hoard of Human Remains

Upon searching Gerlach’s Ephrata residence, authorities discovered a massive collection of remains in his basement, including over 100 human skulls and two decomposing torsos. The remains varied significantly in age, ranging from 200-year-old skeletons to infants only months old.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse described the scene to the Associated Press: "Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf."

Repeated Attacks on Historic Site

The investigation began after at least 26 mausoleums and underground vaults were breached starting in November. Mount Moriah, established in 1855, is the largest abandoned burial ground in the country, spanning 160 acres and holding roughly 150,000 graves.

When Gerlach was arrested, police say he was carrying a burlap bag containing the mummified remains of two children and three skulls.

Hundreds of Charges Filed

Gerlach now faces 574 criminal charges, including burglary, criminal trespassing, and abuse of a corpse. He is currently held on a $1 million bond.

“Given the enormity of what we are looking at and the sheer, utter lack of reasonable explanation, it’s difficult to say right now, at this juncture, exactly what took place. We’re trying to figure it out,” Rouse told reporters.

A preliminary hearing is set for January 20.

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