Man Arrested After Pennsylvania Cemetery Break-Ins and Human Remains Discovery

Pennsylvania: The local police have arrested a 34-year old man, named Jonathan Christ Gerlach in connection to repeated grave and mausoleum break-ins. During their investigation, the police found that the man is in possession of more than a 100 human bodies. 

According to the police reports, an extensive investigation was launched when multiple damage was reported at Mount Moriah Cemetery. It is an old and abandoned cemetery near Philadelphia. Since November 2025, police have been receiving reports of damaged graves and mausoleums.

The police observed Gerlach exiting the cemetery with a burlap bag and a crowbar on January 6, 2026. Bones and skulls could be seen in his vehicle. He was arrested at the scene. When they opened the burlap bag, they found human remains. The bones collected included those of two children. They also found several skulls.

After the police arrested him, they secured search warrants to look at Gerlach’s house in Ephrata, Lancaster County. At the storage unit, police discovered more than 100 sets of human remains that included skulls, long bones and body parts. Some hands and feet were mummified, while some were still in the process of decomposing.

Some of the bones were placed on shelves and some were hanging from the ceiling. Investigators said that some remains may have been around for 200 years while others appeared more recent. Police also found personal items taken from the burial sites. These items included jewelry and a pacemaker still attached to a body.

Gerlach is still in custody but on a bail of $1 billion. His next court date has been scheduled later in the month. He faces more than 450 Criminal charges. These include:-

• Abuse of a corpse 
• Theft by unlawful taking 
• Receiving stolen property 
• Burglary 
• Criminal trespass
• Desecration of sacred objects and burial places

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said it looked like a scene from a horror film. He said this to describe the unusual scale and shocking nature of the case.

Locals are shocked with this discovery. Daychelle Morris said on Facebook, “Omg this has to be the most criminal sick generation ever.” People are calling him a true “Bone Collector” on social media.