100+ stolen human remains found in home, leaving this Pa. neighborhood in shock

(WHP) — The arrest of a Lancaster County man in Delaware County in connection with findings of stolen skeletons is what officials are calling a “horror movie come to life.”

The Delaware County DA is announcing charges against Jonathan Gerlach from Ephrata. Authorities say he was caught trying to steal corpses from a Philadelphia area cemetery.

Neighbors told CBS 21 News that the Ephrata home where officials executed a search warrant sits unoccupied, but the smell of dead bodies lingers. And while many people on that street live close to each other, they also said they had no idea something sinister was happening behind closed doors.

“I’m getting goosebumps now, actually, just thinking that,” said Johnathan Wharton.

“You know, you don’t expect something to be happening right outside your door like that,” said Kim Hackman.

Neighbors on Washington Avenue said they’ve seen Gerlach and a woman walking a dog together around the neighborhood.

“I’m like, hey, can I pet your dog?” Wharton recalled. “Then, we start talking about animals and, you know, just like a small, friendly conversation. Like, I wouldn’t know the guy collects human skeletons and bones.”

Others said they know someone who worked with him.

“He said he was a good worker,” Hackman said. “He was a little off, but not to think that he’d have people in his basement — dead bodies in his basement.”

Court documents said investigators executed a search warrant at this home after catching the suspect in the act earlier this week.

Neighbors said they saw the suspect being escorted out of the house and put in the police car that day.

“It was all freaky because they’re taking, like, boxes upon boxes of human remains,” said Zach Root, another neighbor.

Court documents state investigators found more than 100 skeletons in the home, and another eight inside Gerlach’s storage locker.

It also states that investigators found 26 underground vaults and mausoleums had been broken into or damaged in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Delaware County after reports of burglaries.

“That’s where your great-grandfather was buried!” Bruce Wharton told his son, Johnathan.

Officials say some of the bones were hundreds of years old. Others appeared to belong to children.

“It’s like, you know, people are not going to have the satisfaction of, ‘Is that my children’s remains?’ said Johnathan Wharton. “That’s the scary thing.

“There are kids that walk around and play here all the time, and it’s just very unnerving,” said Hackman.

“It’s like, wow. It’s all I can say. I’m definitely watching my six a lot more, that’s for sure,” said Wharton.

The Lancaster County DA says her office has received information that Gerlach “may have spent time at a local cemetery,” but that “nothing was reported missing at this time.”

In total, Gerlach has been charged with 574 offenses related to burglary, trespassing, criminal mischief, abuse of corpse, theft, receiving stolen property, intentional desecration of a venerated object, and historic lots and burial places.

Officials say this is an ongoing investigation.