A man from Pennsylvania has been taken into custody for allegedly pilfering numerous bones, skulls, and other human remains from a historic graveyard.
Authorities in Delaware County, Pennsylvania have revealed that Jonathan Christian Gerlach, aged 34, is facing more than 500 criminal charges for stealing over 100 human remains from Mount Moriah Cemetery, some dating back over 200 years. The arrest of Gerlach occurred on Tuesday following an extensive investigation into grave robbing at the expansive 200-acre location, as reported by Courthouse News Service.
Law enforcement officials apprehended Gerlach red-handed as he was in the act of stealing from a burial monument. He was caught with a burlap bag containing the remains of two young children, three skulls, and additional bones. Subsequent searches of his residence and a nearby storage unit uncovered over 100 skeletal remains, with eight more remains found in the unit. Authorities stated that Gerlach had been breaking into mausoleums and underground vaults.
Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse characterized the situation as akin to a real-life horror movie during a press briefing on Thursday. He described the scene as unprecedented and challenging for the involved parties, including detectives and medical examiners, due to the diverse nature of the remains, some of which were hanging, pieced together, or stored as skulls. Identifying the remains poses a significant challenge, especially given their age range from over a century old to more recent, with some bodies still having pacemakers attached.
Yeadon Borough Police Chief Henry Giammarco expressed his shock, stating that the discovery was among the most disturbing incidents in his 30-year career. He emphasized the emotional impact, particularly noting the distressing sight of an infant’s remains.
A visitor to Mount Moriah, Kristy Cole, shared her dismay, mentioning that her great-grandparents were interred there. She expressed anger and sadness over the disrespectful treatment of the deceased.
Authorities are now investigating Gerlach’s online presence. A Facebook group titled “Human Bones and Skull Selling Group” contains posts suggesting Gerlach’s involvement in trading human remains. The New York Post reported that one buyer thanked Gerlach for sending them human bones, including those of a teenager, a baboon, and a monkey. Additionally, an Instagram account with the handle “deadshitdaddy” displayed images of bones, hinting at potential sales.
Gerlach is currently in custody with a bail set at $1 million, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 20 in Delaware County. He is facing a total of 574 charges, including abuse of a corpse, theft, intentional desecration of a public monument, and burglary offenses.