A Horror Movie Come to Life: Inside the Nightmare at 100 Washington Avenue

This article is Chapter 4 of the complete Jonathan Gerlach investigation.

The Raid on Washington Avenue

On the morning of January 6, 2026, the residents of Washington Avenue woke up to a swarm of law enforcement vehicles. But this wasn't a standard drug bust. The officers entering 100 Washington Avenue were wearing hazmat gear and respirators.

When they breached the door, the reason for the masks became immediately clear. Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse didn't mince words when he stepped out to address the press. He called the scene inside "a horror movie come to life."

He was describing a crime scene that defies modern comprehension. Jonathan Gerlach hadn't just stored bones in a box; he had turned his Ephrata home into a curated display of atrocities.

The "Processing Plant" in the Basement

The most disturbing details come from the basement. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, police found human remains hanging from the rafters.

This specific detail reveals the industrial nature of the crime. You don't hang bones for storage; you hang them for processing.

• Drying: Freshly stolen remains often still have tissue attached. Hanging them allows for air circulation to dry out the "wet" organic matter.
• Curing: In the "oddities" trade, bones must be bleached and degreased to look "market ready." The basement was likely the factory floor where Gerlach transformed rotting corpses into saleable merchandise.

Neighbors had occasionally complained of odd smells, dismissing them as sewage or dead animals. We now know it was the scent of Mount Moriah Cemetery, transplanted into a residential rowhome.

The Living Room Display

Upstairs, the scene shifted from industrial to obsessive. Investigators found shelves lined with human skulls—over 100 of them in total. These weren't hidden in closets. They were displayed.

• Curated: The skulls were arranged by size and condition.
• Mummified Remains: Alongside the clean bones, police found preserved human tissue, including what reports describe as "mummified feet."
• The Tools of the Trade: Scattered among the remains were the tools used to rob the dead: crowbars, heavy-duty flashlights, and the "burlap sacks" used for transport.

The Psychological Profile

This layout tells us everything we need to know about the suspect. A thief hides his loot. A collector displays it. Gerlach lived among the dead. He ate his meals, watched TV, and slept in a house surrounded by the hollow stares of 100 stolen ancestors. This level of comfort with human decay suggests a deep desensitization—or perhaps a fetishization—of death that goes far beyond simple greed.

The 100 Silent Witnesses

Each skull on those shelves represents a destroyed family history. These were not nameless artifacts. They were mothers, fathers, and children buried in Yeadon, PA, expecting eternal rest. Instead, they ended up as decorations in an Ephrata rental property.

The sheer volume is staggering. To amass 100 skulls, one must pry open dozens of crypts, break into multiple mausoleums, and make dozens of trips back and forth on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It is a logistical feat of terror.

The Contrast

The most chilling part of the "House of Skulls" is its exterior. 100 Washington Avenue is a normal, nondescript red brick house. It sits on a quiet street in a "revitalized" Borough. For months, children walked past it on their way to school. The mailman delivered letters to the slot in the door. It is a stark reminder that in Ephrata, "Curb Appeal" is just a mask. You never truly know what is hanging in the dark just a few feet away.

🚨 Continue the Investigation

We have seen the house. We have seen the warehouse. But the police didn't catch him at home. They caught him on the road.

• ⬅️ Previous: Chapter 3: The Monster in the Details
• ➡️ Next: Chapter 5: The "Burlap Sack" Evidence (The Traffic Stop)

Or, return to the Case File: 📂 Inside the House of Skulls: The Complete Investigation Hub

Dr. Jennifer Gayle Sappington, J.D. Author & Investigative Journalist Member, National Writers Union (UAW Local 1981) Member ID: 172106 | Book & Journalism Division Creator, Inside the House of Skulls Investigative Series

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© 2026 SUNSHINE FIRECRACKER / DR. JENNIFER GAYLE SAPPINGTON, J.D. All Rights Reserved. This content is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution as an act of investigative journalism, political commentary, and public accountability.

EDITORIAL NOTE & DISCLAIMER: This article is an investigative report based on the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed by the Yeadon Police Department and the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.

• Presumption of Innocence: All individuals mentioned, including Jonathan Gerlach, are presumed innocent of any criminal charges until proven guilty in a court of law.
• Opinion vs. Fact: Statements characterizing the actions or inactions of third parties (e.g., "The Warehouse," "Systemic Negligence") represent the author's opinion and interpretation of public safety duties and are not statements of criminal fact established by a court.
• Source Attribution: The term "Macabre Museum" is a direct quote from District Attorney Tanner Rouse.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This commentary utilizes copyrighted material (including social media data and news summaries) under the protection of Section 107 of the US Copyright Law. This usage is for the purposes of news reporting, criticism, and teaching, and constitutes a "fair use" of any such material.

EDITORIAL NOTE All allegations are based on the Affidavit of Probable Cause and public police reports available as of January 15, 2026.