Inside the House of Skulls: The Complete Investigation into the Ephrata Bone Factory

The Illusion Shatters

By Sunshine Firecracker, J.D.

Let the record reflect: On January 6, 2026, the Borough of Ephrata didn't just find a crime scene; it found its own reflection in the mirror.

District Attorney Tanner Rouse called 100 Washington Avenue a "macabre museum." He was being polite. To the untrained eye, it was a house of horrors—over 100 human skulls and mummified remains swinging from the rafters like perverse windchimes.

But I am not an untrained eye. I am a legal scholar and a neighbor living exactly one mile from the blast zone. And when I look at 100 Washington Avenue, I don't just see a "Monster." I see Res Ipsa Loquitur—the thing speaks for itself.

The skulls are not the disease; they are the symptom. The disease is a municipal government so obsessed with "curb appeal" and "revitalization" that it allowed a human chop-shop to operate in plain sight, so long as the grass was cut.

They want you to believe this is a "Delaware County story." They want you to believe this is a "Jonathan Gerlach story."

Objection.

This is an Ephrata Story. This is an indictment of the Ephrata Police Department, the Associated Building Inspections (ABI) racket, and the silent accomplices who sat in Borough Hall while the dead were sold for scrap.

I have the dockets. I have the deeds. And I have the credentials to interpret them.

Welcome to the House of Skulls.

Part 1: The Crime & The Discovery

The facts of the case that the news is glossing over. We start with the "Horror Movie" discovery and the forensic mistake that solved it.

• Chapter 1: Inside the House of Skulls: How an Ephrata home became a "macabre museum" of 100 stolen skeletons.
• Chapter 2: The Second Crime Scene: Police didn't just find bodies in the basement. Jonathan Gerlach storage unit search warrants reveal 8 more bodies hidden in plain sight.
• Chapter 3: The Monster in the Details: How a single discarded Energy Drink can found during the Jonathan Gerlach Yeadon arrest solved a crime Ephrata missed.
• Chapter 4: "A Horror Movie Come to Life": A descriptive breakdown of what police actually saw hanging from the rafters at the 100 Washington Avenue Ephrata crimes scene.
• Chapter 5: The "Burlap Sack" Evidence: The Jonathan Gerlach burlap sack evidence explained: The traffic stop that ended the reign of the Bone Collector.

Part 2: The Man, The Town & The Market

Who is "Deadshitdaddy," where did he operate, and who got hurt? We profile the suspect and the community he victimized.

• Chapter 6: The Man Who Collected Death: A Jonathan Gerlach investigation profile: property owner, resident, and alleged predator.
• Chapter 7: Hunting 'Deadshitdaddy': Inside the Deadshitdaddy Instagram account that advertised human remains to the world.
• Chapter 8: The Town That Slept: A profile of Ephrata Borough corruption allegations—from the historic Cloister to Washington Avenue—and how a town obsessed with "curb appeal" ignored the rot inside.
• Chapter 9: Living in the Blast Zone: The immediate impact on the neighbors. The psychological toll, the property value collapse, and the stigma of living next to the House of Skulls Ephrata PA.
• Chapter 10: The Facebook Marketplace of Horrors: Inside the groups where you can buy human bones Facebook Marketplace style.

Part 3: The Systemic Failure

The Sunshine Firecracker Exclusive. We expose the money and the politics.

• Chapter 11: The House of Skulls & The Grass Police: Ephrata code enforcement failures and how they missed a House of Horrors while measuring your lawn.
• Chapter 12: The $1 Deed: Did the Jonathan Gerlach property deed transfer happen to hide assets? We analyze the timeline.
• Chapter 13: The "Revitalization" Lie: Mainspring Ephrata criticism: How an obsession with "Curb Appeal" created a blind spot for actual danger.
• Chapter 14: One Mile Away: Why the Yeadon Police Department Gerlach case required them to drive an hour to do Ephrata’s job.
• Chapter 15: The $23,000-a-Day Question: Analysis of the Ephrata Police budget. What are we actually buying?
• Chapter 16: Zoning as a Weapon: My personal story of being a victim of Ephrata enterprise targeted by the same system that ignored the monster next door.

Part 4: The Leadership Indictment

Naming the names of the "Shadow Government." This failure has leaders.

• Chapter 17: The Mayor’s Silence: Thomas Reinhold Ephrata Mayor conflict regarding the 'House of Skulls'.
• Chapter 18: Ephrata Mayor Ralph Mowen & The 'House of Skulls': Ralph Mowen Ephrata Mayor police oversight: The civilian head of the police has some explaining to do.
• Chapter 19: Who Missed the Ephrata 'House of Skulls'? Jonathan Gerlach operated a house of horrors for two years. Investigating Associated Building Inspections Ephrata complaints and the private company with public power.
• Chapter 20: The Media Blackout: Why local news insists on framing this as a "Delaware County" story to protect Ephrata real estate values.

Part 5: The Reckoning

The Legal Analysis: Who pays, who goes to jail, and who gets sued?

• Chapter 21: How to Beat Ephrata Borough's Secrecy: A Citizen's Guide to fighting back using Pennsylvania’s Open Records Law.
• Chapter 22: Accomplices by Deed: Can we arrest the Jonathan Gerlach girlfriend or family? A legal analysis of Jonathan Gerlach accomplice liability.
• Chapter 23: The 'Black Book': Why Authorities Are Terrified to Release the Jonathan Gerlach client list. Gerlach kept records. Who else is hoarding the dead?
• Chapter 24: Restitution: Identifying Jonathan Gerlach victims and the taxpayer cost of DNA testing.
• Chapter 25: The Manifesto: The Sunshine Firecracker Manifesto - The end of the "Two-Tiered" system and my final demands.
• Chapter 26: Mount Moriah: The tragic history of the Mount Moriah Cemetery stolen bones (The Source).
• Chapter 27: The Final Verdict: Summary and Jonathan Gerlach updates 2026.

The Investigation Begins Now

This is not just a news story. This is an indictment of a broken system. Click the links above to read the full chapters as they are released. We will not stop until the truth is buried no more.

Stay tuned.

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

SunshineFirecracker.com | Medium | Vocal | Facebook

More on Vocal from Sunshine Firecracker☀️🧨:

• The House of Skulls & The Grass Police: How Ephrata Missed a House of Horrors While Measuring Your Lawn
• What A Farce ;) The Over $23,000-a-Day Circus at the Ephrata Police Department
• Ephrata Police Department: Protect and Serve... Themselves #EphThePolice
• Pennsylvania Utility Service Tenants’ Rights Act: What Laypeople Need to Know
• Is Your Town Hall Breaking the Law? A Citizen's Guide to Official Oppression in Pennsylvania
• Baby Tyler: Victim of Lancaster County PA's Injustice System America Needs To Invest in People Not Prisons

© 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.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER The content provided in this article is for informational, educational, and advocacy purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this article or interacting with the author does not create an attorney-client relationship. While the author holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.), this publication is written in the capacity of an investigative journalist and political commentator. If you require legal assistance regarding property codes or civil rights, please consult a qualified attorney in your jurisdiction.

EDITORIAL NOTE This article constitutes political commentary and investigative journalism regarding public officials and matters of significant public concern. All allegations regarding municipal negligence and selective enforcement are based on the author's investigation, public records, and observations. Statements regarding the "House of Skulls" (100 Washington Avenue) are based on reports available as of January 15, 2026. The author reserves the right to update this article as new information becomes available via Right-to-Know Law requests.