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A Pennsylvania man accused of stealing more than 100 sets of human remains from a historic cemetery appeared in court Friday, where he reportedly waived his right to an evidentiary hearing.
Jonathan Gerlach, 34, appeared in Delaware County court wearing a lime green prison jumpsuit. Clean-shaven with his hair tied back in a bun, he looked noticeably different from his booking photo. He spoke little during the brief proceeding, according to FOX 29 Philadelphia.
Gerlach is facing nearly 500 charges — including burglary, abuse of a corpse and desecration of monuments — tied to a disturbing investigation at Mount Moriah Cemetery near Philadelphia, the outlet reported.
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Jonathan Gerlach, 34, was arrested at the Mount Moriah Cemetery on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Pa., on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Delaware County District Attorneys’ Office via AP/Google Maps)
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors dropped two burglary charges but filed additional counts related to alleged cemetery break-ins in Lancaster and Luzerne counties, FOX 29 reported.
The case has shocked both investigators and the public since Gerlach’s arrest in January.
At the time, Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse described what detectives uncovered as “a horror movie come to life.”
Authorities say more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains were recovered from Gerlach’s home in Ephrata and a storage unit.
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Grave markers are seen at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia on Jan. 8, 2026. (Matt Rourke/AP)
Some of the remains are believed to be centuries old, while others belonged to infants, according to prosecutors.
Police said Gerlach was initially identified after officers conducting surveillance spotted bones and skulls inside his vehicle at Mount Moriah Cemetery
Investigators later observed him leaving the cemetery carrying a burlap bag, a crowbar and other tools. Authorities allege he admitted to stealing approximately 30 sets of remains.
The case has been especially distressing for families with loved ones buried at Mount Moriah.
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Judy Prichard McCleary and Greg Prichard speak with reporters outside the Delaware County Courthouse in Media, Pa., on Friday, April 17, 2026, after an alleged crime spree involving the theft of more than 100 sets of human remains from Pennsylvania cemeteries disturbed their relatives’ burial sites. (Tassanee Vejpongsa/AP)
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“I believe their souls are in heaven. I still think it’s disruptive,” Judy Prichard McCleary, whose ancestors’ remains were disturbed, told The Associated Press.
Gerlach remains behind bars in Delaware County with bail set at $1 million, according to FOX 29.
Court records do not indicate whether Gerlach has entered a plea. An attorney representing him could not be immediately identified Friday.
The Delaware County District Attorney’s Office could not be immediately reached by Digital for comment.
Digital’s Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
