A Pennsylvania man accused of stealing and damaging graves at a historic cemetery is facing hundreds of criminal charges after investigators uncovered a large collection of human remains at his home, authorities said Thursday.
Jonathan Gerlach, 34, was charged after police found more than 100 human skulls and numerous other skeletal remains during a search of his residence, according to a probable cause affidavit. Additional human remains were also discovered in a storage locker linked to Gerlach.
Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said the remains were primarily found in the basement of Gerlach’s home. Eight more sets of remains were recovered from the storage unit. Investigators are still working to determine how many individuals are involved, their identities, and where the remains originated.
“This is a complex and time-consuming investigation,” Rouse said. “We are still trying to determine who these individuals are, where they came from, and how this occurred.”
Authorities said some of the remains appear to be hundreds of years old, while others are more recent. One set was found with a medical device, indicating it belonged to a modern burial. Rouse expressed concern for families who may fear their loved ones were affected, noting that investigators believe some of the remains belonged to infants.
Gerlach was arrested Tuesday as he was leaving Mount Moriah Cemetery, a large historic burial ground that spans parts of Philadelphia and the borough of Yeadon. According to court records, he was charged with approximately 300 counts including theft, receiving stolen property, and abuse of a corpse, along with dozens of additional charges such as burglary, criminal mischief, and desecration of venerated objects.
He is being held on $1 million cash bail. Court records do not list an attorney representing him. Investigators said Gerlach admitted to stealing about 30 sets of remains from Mount Moriah Cemetery.
Yeadon Mayor Rohan Hepkins said the cemetery contains graves dating back to the Revolutionary War and once held the remains of Betsy Ross before they were relocated. He described the site as vulnerable due to its lack of fencing and multiple access points.
Officials became aware of the alleged crimes after a nonprofit group that helps preserve the cemetery reported extensive damage to grave sites. Between Nov. 7 and Tuesday, authorities say at least 26 burial vaults and mausoleums were broken into or damaged, most of them more than a century old.
After identifying Gerlach as a suspect, investigators placed the cemetery under surveillance and observed him leaving the area carrying a burlap bag. Inside were human remains, according to the affidavit. A subsequent search of his home in Ephrata, about 70 miles away, led to the additional discoveries.
Rouse said investigators believe the remains found at Gerlach’s home may have come from multiple cemeteries, though that has not yet been confirmed.
In a statement, Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery thanked the district attorney’s office and local police for their work, saying the organization cooperated closely with authorities throughout the investigation that led to the arrest.