Police discovered bones and skulls in the back seat of a car next to an abandoned cemetery in suburban Philadelphia, leading them to a basement filled with body parts. Authorities accused a man of stealing around 100 bodies.
The arrest on Tuesday night capped off a month-long investigation into a series of break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where at least 26 mausoleums and crypts had been violated since early November.
After searching the home and storage unit of Jonathan Cristo Gerlach, 34, from Ephrata, investigators found over 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified limbs, two decomposed torsos, and various skeletal remains.
“They were in a variety of conditions. Some were hanging, some were pieced together, and others were just skulls on shelves,” Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse remarked.
Most remains were found in the basement, along with jewelry thought to be linked to the graves. Some remains still had pacemakers attached.
Authorities indicated that Gerlach specifically targeted a mausoleum and an underground vault at the cemetery, established in 1855. Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery state it’s the largest abandoned burial ground in the U.S. with an estimated 150,000 graves in Yeadon.
While looking into a series of robberies, investigators checked Gerlach’s car’s license plate, noticing he had frequently been in the area during the time of the incidents.
The break-in focused on a mausoleum containing sealed vaults and burial goods, which had been vandalized to access the remains.
Gerlach was taken into custody while returning to his car with a crowbar, which held a burlap bag containing the mummified remains of two young children, three skulls, and other bones.
He has been indicted on multiple charges, which include 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with several other related charges.
Gerlach told authorities he had removed about 30 bodies and pointed out the graves he had disturbed.
“Given the enormity of what we’re seeing and the total lack of a rational explanation, it’s hard to say exactly what happened at this point. We’re still trying to figure it out,” Rouse added.
He is currently being held on $1 million bail, without an attorney listed in court documentation. A text was sent to a cell phone associated with him seeking comment.
