‘Horrific’: Real-life grave robber nabbed in Pennsylvania, with 100s of human remains in his possession

Though grave-robbers might be thought of as a thing of the past, a Pennsylvania man has been arrested and charged in a disturbing cemetery grave-robbing case after authorities discovered more than 100 human skeletal remains on his property and in storage.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse revealed that 34-year-old Jonathan Gerlach, of Ephrata, Lancaster County, was taken into custody on January 6, 2026, after detectives spotted human bones and skulls visible in the back seat of his vehicle while conducting surveillance near Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon Borough.

The sprawling 160-acre cemetery, one of the largest historic burial sites in the region, has been the target of repeated break-ins and desecration in recent months. Mount Moriah Cemetery dates to 1855. It houses the graves of Civil War soldiers and other historic figures.

According to a press release from the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the investigation began after Detective Leah Cesanek of the Yeadon Police Department and Detective Chris Karr of the Delaware County CID responded to numerous reports of burglarized graves and mausoleums at Mount Moriah Cemetery between November 7, 2025, and January 6, 2026.

Surveillance teams watched Gerlach’s car as he exited the cemetery carrying a burlap bag, crowbar, and other tools, leading to his arrest at approximately 8 p.m. that evening.

Gerlach admitted everything

Once in custody, Gerlach reportedly admitted to investigators that he had stolen about 30 sets of human remains from gravesites within the cemetery. A search warrant was then executed at his home and a nearby storage unit in Ephrata by the Delaware County CID, the Ephrata Police Department, and Middle Creek Search and Rescue, uncovering over 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains.

District Attorney Rouse described the scene investigators encountered as “truly, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific,” comparing it to something out of a horror movie and expressing empathy for families who may be awaiting news about their loved ones.

Authorities allege that Gerlach targeted at least 26 mausoleums and underground vaults at Mount Moriah Cemetery, forcing open sealed burial spaces that contained older interments.

Some of the recovered remains were reportedly over a century old, while others included jewelry believed to have originated from the graves, and even a skeleton still equipped with a pacemaker, according to law enforcement sources.

Following a comprehensive review of evidence, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office approved a lengthy list of charges against Gerlach, including 26 counts each of burglary and criminal trespass, 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse.

Gerlach is behind bars at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility on $1,000,000 cash bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 20, 2026. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with additional information to contact Detective Leah Cesanek at 610-623-1500 or Detective Chris Karr at 610-891-4700.