Volunteers Revive Historic Philadelphia Cemetery After Burglary

Community group works to restore dignity to desecrated burial sites at Mount Moriah Cemetery

Apr. 19, 2026 at 8:52pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a damaged, ancient-looking stone crypt or mausoleum door, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conveying a somber, investigative mood without depicting any actual violence or victims.A recent spate of cemetery burglaries and desecration has shaken the local community, spurring volunteers to restore dignity to the historic Mount Moriah graveyard.Philadelphia Today

Volunteers from the Friends of Mount Moriah cemetery in Philadelphia spent a Sunday cleaning up the historic graveyard, which had been targeted by a burglar who stole over 100 skeletal remains from mausoleums and crypts. The group is committed to preserving the 200-acre sacred space and returning it to its original glory after the recent acts of desecration.

Why it matters

The Mount Moriah cemetery, which dates back to the 1850s, is an important part of Philadelphia's history and a final resting place for many prominent figures from the region. The recent burglaries and desecration of the burial sites have deeply impacted the local community, making the volunteer restoration efforts all the more meaningful.

The details

Thirty-four-year-old Jonathan Gerlach has been charged with 26 counts of burglary, 26 counts of criminal trespass, 100 counts of abuse of corpse, 100 counts of receiving stolen property, and 26 counts of intentional desecration of public monument for his alleged crimes at Mount Moriah Cemetery. The Friends of Mount Moriah group, led by Laurel McCullough, discovered the initial break-ins last fall and have been working to clean up the cemetery and restore the historic mausoleums and crypts that were targeted.

  • The burglaries at Mount Moriah Cemetery are believed to have occurred over several months last year.
  • Volunteers from the Friends of Mount Moriah group spent a Sunday in April 2026 cleaning up the cemetery.
  • Gerlach's preliminary hearing was held on April 17, 2026, and was continued to allow his public defender more time to investigate new information.

The players

Friends of Mount Moriah

A community group committed to preserving and restoring the historic Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Laurel McCullough

A member of the Friends of Mount Moriah group who was one of the first to notice the break-ins and desecration at the cemetery.

Jonathan Gerlach

A 34-year-old man charged with 26 counts of burglary, 26 counts of criminal trespass, 100 counts of abuse of corpse, 100 counts of receiving stolen property, and 26 counts of intentional desecration of public monument for his alleged crimes at Mount Moriah Cemetery.

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What they’re saying

“We really wanted to get back here to 'mausoleum hill,' where kind of all the bad news came from, and start to make this thing right.”

— Laurel McCullough, Member, Friends of Mount Moriah

“When we first spotted that this mausoleum behind me had been opened, we thought it was just vandalism. And then it took probably about an hour of looking at it before we could really reconcile in our minds that it had been robbed.”

— Laurel McCullough, Member, Friends of Mount Moriah

“There are beautiful, beautiful architectural buildings. People bought these and put their families in them because it was important, and we want to make sure that's recognized.”

— Laurel McCullough, Member, Friends of Mount Moriah

What’s next

Gerlach's public defender will continue investigating new information presented in the case before his preliminary hearing is resumed.

The takeaway

The volunteer efforts to restore and preserve the historic Mount Moriah Cemetery highlight the community's resilience in the face of desecration and the importance of safeguarding sacred burial grounds, even in the face of criminal acts.