Jonathan Gerlach arrest: Yeadon cemetery grave robbery case continued as officials push for new laws

YEADON, Pa. (WPVI) — The preliminary hearing for a man accused of stealing and selling human remains from a historic Delaware County cemetery was continued again Friday, prompting renewed calls for changes to state law.

Yeadon Police Chief Henry Giammarco spoke outside the Delaware County Courthouse after the hearing for Jonathan Gerlach was postponed.

Gerlach, 34, is accused of carrying out burglaries over several months at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Yeadon.

“I can’t sell my grandchildren’s old car seats, but I can go on Facebook marketplace and sell a skull,” Giammarco said.

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The chief said the delay came at the request of the public defender, but added that the reason was unclear.

“I know that was the request from the public defender, but we’re not sure what that was,” Giammarco said.

Police allege Gerlach rappelled into mausoleums at the cemetery, stole human remains, and sold some of them online. He is charged with more than 500 counts, including burglary and abuse of corpse.

Among those affected is Judy Prichard-McCleary, whose great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Prichard, is entombed at Mount Moriah. She said his mausoleum was broken into. Prichard-McCleary attended court, hoping the case would move forward, only to see it continued.

“My great-great-grandfather was a religious man,” she said. “He built this mausoleum because he wanted to keep his family together.”

The case has also changed how she thinks about her own final arrangements.

“My brother said I was sitting on the fence about being buried in a coffin or being cremated. Now, I know there’s no question in my mind, I’m going to be cremated because no one is going to dig me up,” she said.

Police say the case remains under investigation. While the court proceedings have been delayed, law enforcement officials say the allegations have already spurred broader action.

Authorities say they are working with state lawmakers to form new laws that would make selling body parts illegal. Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton addressed the issue in a statement.

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“The grave robberies at Mt. Moriah and other cemeteries are heartbreaking for our community and so many families who had loved ones laid to rest there,” McClinton said. “These spaces are meant to be solemn resting places, and the theft and exploitation of people’s final remains is sickening and unconscionable.

“My office is partnering with law enforcement, and other local officials and organizations, to enact laws to deter and prevent tragedies like this in the future, and to restore the sanctity of the final resting place of so many Pennsylvanians.”

The Friends of Mount Moriah are also raising money for security improvements at the cemetery, including fence repairs, new cameras and active patrols, in an effort to prevent similar crimes.

“These were people’s loved ones to be disturbed, and what happened to them is just horrific,” Giammarco said.

A new court date has not yet been announced, though court sources say it will likely be within the next month.