Unearthed Horrors: Man Arrested for Grave Robbery in Pennsylvania
A chilling discovery of skulls and bones in the back seat of a vehicle near a deserted graveyard on the outskirts of Philadelphia led to the unearthing of an incredible case of grave robbery. The following investigation led officers to a house filled with human remains, allegedly collected by a man who is now facing charges for the theft of approximately 100 sets of human remains.
The discovery was the climax of a lengthy probe into a series of break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery. Authorities reported that at least 26 mausoleums and vaults at the cemetery had been forcefully opened since early November.
Home of Horrors
Following the discovery, a search was conducted at the suspect's home and storage facility in Ephrata. The search revealed an astonishing collection of over 100 human skulls, mummified extremities, two decomposing torsos, and other skeletal parts.
"The scene was quite graphic. Some remains were dangling, others were assembled, and some were just skulls on a shelf," said the District Attorney of Delaware County, Tanner Rouse.
The majority of the body parts were located in the basement. Along with the remains, authorities also discovered jewelry believed to be from the raided graves. In one instance, a pacemaker was still attached to the remains.
Targeted Grave Robberies
The accused was allegedly focusing on mausoleums and underground vaults at the cemetery, which was established in 1855. It's known as the largest abandoned burial ground in the country, located in Yeadon, and spans across 160 acres. The cemetery is home to an estimated 150,000 grave sites and is maintained by the Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery.
The police had been investigating the series of burglaries when they traced the suspect's vehicle plates and discovered that he had been in Yeadon multiple times during the period when the break-ins took place. The focus of the break-ins appeared to be on sealed vaults and mausoleums containing older burials, which had been vandalized to gain access to the remains inside.
Arrest and Charges
The suspect was apprehended as he was returning to his car, clutching a crowbar. The police also found a burlap sack in his possession, which contained the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls, and other bones.
The man admitted to the police that he had stolen around 30 sets of human remains and even showed them the graves he had pilfered from. "Considering the magnitude of what we're dealing with and the absolute lack of a plausible explanation, it's hard to determine at this point exactly what happened. We're trying to piece it together," Rouse told the public.
The suspect is facing 100 charges each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with multiple counts of desecrating a public monument, a venerated object, a historic burial place, burglary, trespassing, and theft.
He is currently held on a $1 million bond. No legal representation was mentioned in the court records, and attempts to reach him for a comment have been unsuccessful.