A man in Pennsylvania, identified as Jonathan Gerlach, has been arrested on more than 500 charges related to disturbing graveyards and mausoleums. The discovery of bones, mummified body parts, and skeletal remains in Gerlach’s home and storage unit prompted the investigation. The incident unfolded following break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery near Philadelphia.
Authorities found a collection of over 100 skulls and various human remains, including those of children, some as young as a few months old. The District Attorney described the scene as resembling a horror movie, with bones displayed in different states of preservation.
Gerlach, apprehended as he left the cemetery with a crowbar, faces charges such as theft, abuse of a corpse, and desecration of burial sites. Detectives are working to identify the origins of the recovered remains, some of which are centuries old.
The grim findings have deeply affected families with loved ones buried at the cemetery. Police have also linked recovered jewelry to the desecrated gravesites, adding to the macabre nature of the case. Gerlach’s arrest followed a Halloween investigation into multiple forced entries at the cemetery’s mausoleums and vaults.