Judy Prichard McCleary believes her ancestors have already passed on to the afterlife, leaving only their physical remains behind in the family mausoleum at a large cemetery in the Philadelphia area.
Still, she remains deeply unsettled after learning that five of the nine crypts were disturbed — and that the remains of a great-great-great aunt were stolen — in a disturbing series of crimes involving the theft of more than 100 bodies from cemeteries across Pennsylvania.
“I believe their souls are in heaven. I still think it’s disruptive,” McCleary said Friday following a brief court hearing, where the defendant waived his right to an evidentiary hearing. Jonathan Gerlach, 34, faces two dozen burglary charges after authorities accused him of stealing human remains from graves in multiple counties, along with dozens of additional charges.
The shocking nature of the crimes has drawn widespread public attention and fueled extensive media coverage. McCleary acknowledges that law enforcement may be handling more pressing cases, but she and a relative present in court emphasized that these crimes are far from victimless. She hopes the case will push lawmakers to take stronger action against the online sale of human body parts, which investigators believe may have been a motive.
“To be able to sell body parts on the internet, just appalls me. I think it should be stopped,” she said.
Gerlach, a resident of Lancaster County, was arrested in January near Mount Moriah Cemetery on the outskirts of Philadelphia. Officers reported spotting bones and skulls in the back seat of his car, which prompted a search of his home and a storage unit in Ephrata. During those searches, authorities said they uncovered more than 100 human skulls, along with mummified hands, feet, and similar remains.
Investigators also recovered jewelry believed to be connected to the graves, as well as a pacemaker still attached to a body. Gerlach’s arraignment is scheduled for June 3, though his attorney — who declined to comment on the case — indicated he is unlikely to appear.
Gerlach, who remains in custody, appeared in court Friday wearing glasses and a tight bun, with a collar-sized tattoo around his neck. He calmly responded to routine questions from the judge.
He waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The district attorney dropped four burglary charges in Yeadon but added two new charges from Luzerne and Lancaster counties.
This undated photo released by the Delaware County District Attorneys’ Office shows Jonathan Gerlach.
Police said they arrested him in January as he walked back toward his car from Mount Moriah Cemetery carrying a crowbar. Officers reported finding the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls, and additional bones inside a burlap bag. According to investigators, Gerlach admitted he had taken about 30 sets of human remains and pointed out the graves he had stolen from.
Mount Moriah, established in 1855, spans 160 acres along the Philadelphia-Yeadon borough line and contains roughly 150,000 grave sites.
The Prichard family mausoleum was constructed in the early 1900s by McCleary’s great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Prichard, who immigrated to the United States from Ireland and built a career as a grocer. Some relatives claim he invented the first paper bag, but with no patent on record, the story remains a charming piece of family lore.
Before his own death, Prichard relocated the bodies of two children who had died earlier into the mausoleum, and later, he and other family members were laid to rest there as well.
“It just made me sick to my stomach that anybody would want to do that,” McCleary said about the crimes. “I think the man needs help.”
Gerlach remains in custody. His attorney declined to comment following Friday’s hearing.
A formal arraignment on the new charges is set for June 3.
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