EPISODE · Feb 9, 2026 · 34 MIN
Selling the Dead: The Jonathan Gerlach Case "The Amish Ed Gein"
from Macabre : Dark History · host Dark History and True Crime
What if I told you there’s a black market hiding in plain sight—not for drugs… not for weapons… but for human bodies?In 2026, investigators uncovered a case so disturbing it forced a national reckoning over who owns the dead, how bodies are regulated, and how easily grief can be exploited for profit.At the center of it all is one name: Jonathan Gerlach.This isn’t a story about a single crime—it’s about a system that allowed human remains to be bought, sold, and shipped like inventory.And once you hear how it worked… you’ll never look at body donation the same way again.Can’t get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won’t hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?📩 Send it to [email protected] to connect with fellow listeners?Join our private Facebook group: Macabre PodcastAnd don’t forget to grab your MACABRE merch at🖤 www.gothiccthreads.comSources: https://6abc.com/post/horror-movie-come-life-cops-find-more-100-skeletal-remains-pennsylvania-mans-home/18373761/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pa-man-accused-of-stealing-bones-from-cemetery-in-delaware-county/4329838/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/14/pennsylvania-grave-robbery-human-remainshttps://www.fox29.com/news/pa-grave-robber-more-human-remains-discovered-corpses-found-hanging-from-ceilinghttps://local21news.com/news/local/ephrata-man-jonathan-gerlach-admits-to-selling-human-remains-stolen-from-pa-cemetery-search-warrant-delaware-county-philadelphia-mount-moriah-cemetery-lancaster-pennsylvania-skulls-skeletons-pahttps://komonews.com/news/nation-world/ephrata-man-jonathan-gerlach-admits-to-selling-human-remains-stolen-from-pa-cemetery-search-warrant-delaware-county-philadelphia-mount-moriah-cemetery-lancaster-pennsylvania-skulls-skeletons-pahttps://delcoda.com/news/delaware-county-da-tanner-rouse-announces-arrest-and-charges-against-suspect-in-graveyard-burglaries/Jeremy Pauley Casehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/thompson-man-sentenced-72-months-prison-trafficking-stolen-human-remainshttps://apnews.com/article/86edc382669ab9790fdb4b79ee96b0edhttps://crimewatch.net/us/pa/cumberland/da/5591/post/enola-man-arrested-dealing-stolen-body-parts Body Market / Human Remains Trade (Context)https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-bodies-brokers/https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/06/13/harvard-medical-anatomy-human-remains-networkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_morgue_casehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_broker
What this episode covers
What if I told you there’s a black market hiding in plain sight—not for drugs… not for weapons… but for human bodies?In 2026, investigators uncovered a case so disturbing it forced a national reckoning over who owns the dead, how bodies are regulated, and how easily grief can be exploited for profit.At the center of it all is one name: Jonathan Gerlach.This isn’t a story about a single crime—it’s about a system that allowed human remains to be bought, sold, and shipped like inventory.And once you hear how it worked… you’ll never look at body donation the same way again.Can’t get enough MACABRE?Spotify Exclusive subscribers get ad-free episodes, early access, and bonus content you won’t hear anywhere else.Want even more? Patreon members unlock additional bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early releases, and exclusive MACABRE perks.Have a story you want us to tell?📩 Send it to [email protected] to connect with fellow listeners?Join our private Facebook group: Macabre PodcastAnd don’t forget to grab your MACABRE merch at🖤 www.gothiccthreads.comSources: https://6abc.com/post/horror-movie-come-life-cops-find-more-100-skeletal-remains-pennsylvania-mans-home/18373761/https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/pa-man-accused-of-stealing-bones-from-cemetery-in-delaware-county/4329838/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/14/pennsylvania-grave-robbery-human-remainshttps://www.fox29.com/news/pa-grave-robber-more-human-remains-discovered-corpses-found-hanging-from-ceilinghttps://local21news.com/news/local/ephrata-man-jonathan-gerlach-admits-to-selling-human-remains-stolen-from-pa-cemetery-search-warrant-delaware-county-philadelphia-mount-moriah-cemetery-lancaster-pennsylvania-skulls-skeletons-pahttps://komonews.com/news/nation-world/ephrata-man-jonathan-gerlach-admits-to-selling-human-remains-stolen-from-pa-cemetery-search-warrant-delaware-county-philadelphia-mount-moriah-cemetery-lancaster-pennsylvania-skulls-skeletons-pahttps://delcoda.com/news/delaware-county-da-tanner-rouse-announces-arrest-and-charges-against-suspect-in-graveyard-burglaries/Jeremy Pauley Casehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-mdpa/pr/thompson-man-sentenced-72-months-prison-trafficking-stolen-human-remainshttps://apnews.com/article/86edc382669ab9790fdb4b79ee96b0edhttps://crimewatch.net/us/pa/cumberland/da/5591/post/enola-man-arrested-dealing-stolen-body-parts Body Market / Human Remains Trade (Context)https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-bodies-brokers/https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/06/13/harvard-medical-anatomy-human-remains-networkhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_morgue_casehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_broker
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Selling the Dead: The Jonathan Gerlach Case "The Amish Ed Gein"
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