A Pennsylvania man’s months-long grave robbing spree has shocked communities after police discovered over 100 human skulls and eight corpses stored in his home and storage unit, revealing a calculated criminal enterprise that desecrated century-old remains for online profit.
Story Snapshot
- Jonathan Gerlach, 34, systematically robbed Mount Moriah Cemetery using rappelling equipment, stealing dozens of human remains dating back over a century
- Police searches uncovered over 100 skulls, mummified body parts, and eight full corpses stored at his Ephrata home and storage facility
- Gerlach admitted to selling stolen human remains online through the “oddities” market via social media platforms
- He faces over 500 charges and is held on $1 million bail, with families of the desecrated graves demanding justice
Calculated Crime Spree Targets Historic Cemetery
Jonathan Gerlach executed a sophisticated grave robbing operation from November through December 2025 at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon, Pennsylvania. Court documents reveal he used professional rappelling equipment including ropes and carabiners to descend 10 feet into mausoleums and climbed wooden pallets to access underground vaults 10-12 feet deep. His methodical approach included stealing specialized tools like headlamps, gloves, and metal cutting wheels from retail stores in preparation for the burglaries.
The scale of Gerlach’s crimes escalated dramatically over two months. He initially targeted above-ground mausoleums in November before progressing to underground family vaults in December. On December 20 alone, he burglarized four separate vaults belonging to the Slack, Ogden, McCullough, and Louber families. By late December, he had damaged additional plots including the Campbell, Ziegler, Hasson, and Charlton family burial sites, systematically looting remains that had rested undisturbed for over a century.
Macabre Discovery Shocks Law Enforcement
Police arrested Gerlach on January 6, 2026, after observing him at Mount Moriah Cemetery with a burlap bag containing bones and skulls. His subsequent confession led to searches that revealed the horrifying extent of his crimes. At his Ephrata home on Washington Avenue, investigators discovered more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified feet and hands, and two decomposing torsos. The grisly find prompted neighbors to describe the scene as something from a horror movie.
The investigation expanded when Gerlach’s fiancé disclosed the location of his storage unit at KO Storage on East Main Street. Cadaver dogs alerted authorities to the facility, where an additional search uncovered eight complete corpses, various body parts, cremation ashes, and jewelry taken from graves. The discovery represents one of the most extensive grave robbing cases in recent Pennsylvania history, with authorities still working to identify and return remains to their proper burial sites.
Online Market Fuels Grave Desecration
Gerlach’s criminal enterprise targeted the growing online “oddities” market where collectors purchase human remains, taxidermy, and unusual specimens through social media platforms like Instagram. He admitted to police that he sold some of the stolen remains online, including a confirmed trip to Chicago where he sold a human skull. His Instagram activity showed connections to taxidermy dealers and skeleton traders, revealing how social media facilitates this disturbing black market trade.
The commercialization of human remains represents a fundamental assault on human dignity and family values that conservatives hold sacred. This case exposes how unregulated online markets can incentivize the desecration of final resting places, turning century-old graves into profit opportunities for criminals. The violation of these families’ ancestors undermines the basic respect for the dead that forms a cornerstone of civilized society, demanding stronger legal protections against such heinous crimes.
Families Demand Justice for Desecrated Ancestors
Devastated family members whose ancestors were desecrated expressed outrage and demanded justice for Gerlach’s crimes. Kristy Cole, whose family members were among the victims, described the situation as a “horror movie come to life.” Another family member questioned how Gerlach would feel if someone desecrated his own mother’s grave, highlighting the profound violation these families experienced. The emotional trauma extends beyond immediate family members to entire communities whose trust in the sanctity of burial grounds has been shattered.
Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams filed over 500 charges against Gerlach, who remains in Delaware County Prison on $1 million bail awaiting his preliminary hearing scheduled for January 20, 2026. The massive scale of charges reflects the extensive nature of his crimes and the seriousness with which authorities are treating this assault on human dignity. Families continue to advocate for maximum penalties while police work to identify and return their loved ones’ remains to proper burial sites.
Sources:
Court docs reveal accused grave robber’s months-long plot to steal human remains
Ephrata man Jonathan Gerlach admits to selling human remains stolen from PA cemetery
