Lancaster County man accused of stealing over 100 human remains from historic cemetery
Yeadon, PA – What began as a string of mysterious grave burglaries at the historic Mount Moriah Cemetery has led to one of the most disturbing discoveries in recent Pennsylvania history. Authorities say more than 100 sets of human remains were found inside the home of an Ephrata man accused of looting burial vaults and mausoleums for months.
Investigators arrested Jonathan Christian Gerlach on January 6 after he was allegedly caught at Mount Moriah Cemetery carrying a burlap bag filled with two mummified remains of children, three skulls, and additional bones. Police say Gerlach’s vehicle, a Toyota RAV4 parked nearby, contained even more skeletal remains believed to have been taken from the same cemetery.
A search warrant executed later that evening at Gerlach’s home on Washington Avenue in Ephrata uncovered more than 100 full or partial sets of remains, according to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office. Investigators also located eight additional bodies inside a nearby storage unit. Authorities described the scene as gruesome, with bones and skeletons found in varying conditions.
“This is probably the most horrific thing that I’ve seen in 30 years of policing,” said Yeadon Police Chief Henry Giammarco, who has been leading the investigation with the Delaware County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division.
Mount Moriah Cemetery, which spans both Yeadon and southwest Philadelphia, dates back to 1855 and contains graves from the Civil War era to modern times. Police say the site has been targeted by a series of break-ins since November, and cellphone data showed Gerlach’s phone pinged at the cemetery at least six times between Halloween and Christmas Eve.
Court documents allege Gerlach used a crowbar to pry open underground burial vaults and mausoleums. Among the remains found in his possession were 25 taken directly from Mount Moriah, some more than a century old, others far more recent — including one body still fitted with a pacemaker.
The Yeadon Borough Police Department has urged families with loved ones interred in mausoleums or underground vaults at Mount Moriah to reach out to investigators. The department is coordinating with the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery to notify affected families and identify the recovered remains.
Gerlach faces charges of burglary, abuse of corpse, desecration, theft, and related offenses. His bail has been set at $1 million cash. The investigation remains ongoing as additional search locations are examined for potential evidence.
“This case highlights the importance of agencies working together to protect the dignity of those who can no longer speak for themselves,” Chief Giammarco said in a statement.
Authorities say the case is far from over as forensic teams continue the painstaking work of identifying victims and restoring them to their rightful resting places.