Police in Pennsylvania have made a chilling discovery, arresting a man after uncovering what they describe as a 'horror movie come to life' involving more than 100 human skulls and decomposing corpses.
A Grisly Discovery in Basement and Storage Unit
Jonathan Gerlach, 34, from Pennsylvania, was taken into custody on Tuesday night after officers spotted him walking from the Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon, near Philadelphia, while carrying a crowbar. This led investigators to his home and a separate storage facility, where they made a horrific find.
Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse stated that detectives recovered bones, mummified hands and feet, rotting torsos, and partial skeletons. 'They were in various states,' Rouse said. 'Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf.' The remains ranged from those centuries old to much more recent, including infants believed to be just months old when they died.
Connection to Historic Cemetery Break-Ins
The investigation began around Halloween following reports of break-ins at the historic 160-acre Mount Moriah Cemetery, where approximately 150,000 people are buried. At least 26 mausoleums and vaults had been forced open. Authorities believe Gerlach targeted this site, and jewellery recovered during the searches is thought to be linked to the graves.
One particularly modern piece of evidence was found among the remains: a body still fitted with a pacemaker. Gerlach now faces more than 500 charges, including 300 counts of theft, receiving stolen property, abuse of a corpse, and desecrating a historic burial place and public monument.
Long Road to Identification and Community Grief
District Attorney Rouse emphasised the complexity of the case, noting the immense task ahead for forensic experts. '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,' he explained.
He also expressed profound sympathy for the families affected. 'I grieve for those who are upset by this, who are going through it, who are trying to figure out if it is, in fact, their loved one or their child,' Rouse stated. The motive behind the collection of remains remains unclear as the investigation continues.
