Pennsylvania man charged after more than 100 human remains found in his possession

"Investigators on Thursday told news outlets that it was unclear what motive Gerlach had to allegedly stockpile the remains, some of which were said to be hundreds of years old. Very simply, detectives have recovered an awful lot of bones at this point, and we are still trying to piece together who they are, where they are from and how many we are looking at, Delaware county district attorney Tanner Rouse told news reporters."

"According to prosecutors, Gerlach evidently spent months forcing his way into at least 26 mausoleums and underground burial vaults at Mount Moriah cemetery in the Delaware county community of Yeadon to steal the remains in question. Among those to have once been interred at Mount Moriah was Betsy Ross, the Philadelphia seamstress credited with sewing the first US flag, Yeadon mayor and cemetery governing board member Rohan Hepkins said at a news briefing."

Jonathan Gerlach, 34, is charged with hundreds of counts after authorities found more than 100 human remains in his car, home and storage locker. Recovered items included skulls, bones, mummified feet, headless torsos and a skeleton with a cardiac pacemaker. Investigators say some remains may be hundreds of years old and officials described the case as horrific. Prosecutors allege Gerlach forcibly entered at least 26 mausoleums and underground burial vaults at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon to steal remains. Police linked him via license-plate readers and cell-phone records near the unfenced, easily accessed cemetery. Identification and provenance work is ongoing.

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