PA Man Stole 100s Of Bones, Skulls Out Of Delco Graves: DA

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — Authorities have captured and charged a man they said stole more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains from a cemetery in Delaware County.

The Delaware County District Attorney's Office said Jonathan Gerlach, 34, of Ephrata, Lancaster County, is in custody.

He is charged with 26 counts of burglary, 100 counts of abuse of a corpse, 26 counts of two separate trespassing charges, 100 counts of theft by unlawful taking, 100 counts of receiving stolen property, 26 counts each of separate desecration charges, and 26 counts of criminal mischief, authorities said.

Gerlach's charges stem from incidents that took place between Nov. 7, 2025 and Jan. 6, 2026 at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon.

Authorities said Delaware County Detectives were investigating a string of burglarized graves and mausoleums that occurred between those dates at the cemetery.

At about 8 p.m. Tuesday, detectives were monitoring the cemetery when they saw a car with numerous bones and skulls in plain view in the back seat of the vehicle. Gerlach was then seen leaving the cemetery holding a burlap bag, crow bar and other assorted items, authorities said.

He was taken into custody and subsequently admitted to stealing about 30 sets of human remains, the DA's office said.

Investigators later searched Gerlach's home in Ephrata, and the results led them to believe more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains have been taken from Gerlach’s home and storage unit in Ephrata.

Gerlach is in custody at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility and had bail set at $1 million cash. His preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 20.

"Detectives walked into a horror movie come to life in that home," newly sworn in Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said at a news conference Thursday. "It is truly, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific. I grieve for those who are upset by this, who are going through this, who are trying to figure out if it is in fact one of their loved ones."

The investigation is ongoing and authorities urge anyone with additional information to contact Detective Leah Cesanek at 610-623-1500 or Detective Chris Karr at 610-891-4700