Delaware County authorities captured and charged a man they said stole more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains from Mount Moriah Cemetery, located in Yeadon over a more than two- month period.
Jonathan Gerlach, 34, of Ephrata, Lancaster County, was taken into custody and arrested last week accused of stealing human remains from a Delaware County cemetery.
Gerlach is charged with 26 counts of burglary, 100 counts of abuse of a corpse, 26 counts of two separate trespassing charges, 100 counts of grave theft , 100 counts of receiving stolen property, 26 counts of separate desecration offenses, authorities said.
Delaware County Detectives were investigating a string of grave desecrations and mausoleum thefts occurring between Nov. 7, 2025 and Jan. 6, 2026 at the cemetery Yeadon.
On Jan 6 (last Tuesday) Delaware County detectives were surveilling the cemetery when they saw a vehicle 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.
Gerlach was taken into custody and subsequently admitted to stealing about 30 sets of human remains, said the Delaware County DA’s office.
Delaware County DA Tanner Rouse said, “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.”
Investigators subsequent to Gerlach’s arrest obtained a search warrant for his home and a storge unit in Ephrata, Pa. resulting in the discovery of more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains.
Gerlach had bail set at 10 percent of $1 million with a preliminary hearing scheduled for Jan. 20. He was remanded to George W. Hill Correctional Facility where he awaits his day in court.
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