Lancaster County man accused of stealing human remains from 100 graves at Delco cemetery, possibly others

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A Lancaster County man is accused of being behind a string of thefts involving human remains at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse charged Jonathan Gerlach, 34, of Ephrata, with about 500 counts of trespassing, abuse of a corpse and theft for allegedly stealing remains.

Thursday’s announcement follows two months of burglary reports at the historic cemetery, which spans through Philadelphia and Yeadon. Detectives conducted a stakeout Tuesday evening of the property and witnessed  Gerlach’s car with “numerous bones and skulls in plain view in the back seat of the vehicle.”

According to a press release from the district attorney’s office, Gerlach allegedly exited the premises with a burlap bag and a crowbar. Officers detained Gerlach and said that he admitted to stealing human remains from 30 grave sites at Mount Moriah Cemetery.

Multiple law enforcement agencies conducted a raid on Gerlach’s home and discovered more than 100 sets of full or partial human remains, officials said. It is not known whether all remains are from Mount Moriah Cemetery.

“Detectives walked into a horror movie come to life in that home,” Rouse said Thursday during a press conference. “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.”

Gerlach is currently being held at George W. Hill Correctional Facility. He did not post bail. A preliminary hearing is slated for Jan. 20.

Editor’s note: This article has been corrected to reflect that burglaries had been reported at the cemetery over a period of two months.