A man is arrested with 100 skeletons in his basement, and his Facebook activity raised alarms

According to BroBible, a 34-year-old Pennsylvania man is facing hundreds of charges after authorities discovered more than 100 human skeletons in the basement of his Lancaster County home. Police say the remains were stored throughout the property and represented a wide range of ages and conditions.

Jonathan Gerlach was arrested after investigators uncovered what they allege was an ongoing operation involving grave robbing and the online sale of human remains. Authorities say the case is notable not only for the number of remains involved but for how the activity was allegedly coordinated through social media.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse confirmed that police identified more than 100 distinct sets of remains in Gerlach’s basement. According to court documents, the remains ranged from more than 200 years old to those of infants only months old, with several human skulls displayed openly on shelves.

The investigation began with a tip and quickly escalated

The investigation began after a Lancaster County tipster contacted police. The tipster reported that two acquaintances had discovered a partially decomposed body hanging in Gerlach’s basement during a visit.

Detectives then reviewed Gerlach’s online activity and identified multiple red flags. Police say his Facebook account was connected to a group called “Human Bones and Skull Selling,” where messages allegedly showed Gerlach selling human remains to other members.

Investigators were also told that Gerlach’s social media profiles included frequent posts about taxidermy, oddities, and skeleton collecting. Court records note that his CashApp profile image showed him holding a human skull, echoing the kind of disturbing online behavior that has fueled other viral stories, including when an Outback Steakhouse customer believed they were served a strip of leather before discovering the reality.

The case expanded further after Yeadon Mayor Rohan Hepkins was alerted to repeated mausoleum break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Members of the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery group reported grave disturbances, prompting police to increase patrols in the area.

Those patrols led to Gerlach’s arrest as he exited the cemetery. According to court documents, he was carrying a burlap bag containing three skulls, assorted bones, and mummified remains believed to belong to two small children.

Police later executed a search warrant at Gerlach’s home, where they reported finding two decomposing human torsos, mummified hands and feet, long bones, and numerous other skeletal remains. The revelations have drawn comparisons to other unsettling social media incidents, such as when a LongHorn Steakhouse customer ordered a meal and discovered it covered in what appeared to be “love butter,” later explained by a former cook.

Gerlach is currently being held in Delaware County Prison and faces 574 charges, including abuse of a corpse, burglary, and criminal trespassing, as he awaits a preliminary hearing.