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

The Illusion Shatters

On January 6, 2026, the quiet streets of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, were shattered by a revelation that belongs in a script, not a police blotter.

District Attorney Tanner Rouse described the scene inside 100 Washington Avenue as "a horror movie come to life." He wasn't exaggerating. Inside the home of Jonathan C. Gerlach, investigators found a macabre museum: over 100 human skulls, "mummified" feet, and skeletal remains hanging from the basement rafters.

But while the national press focuses on the gore, they are missing the story that actually matters to those of us living one mile away. This wasn't just a crime; it was a systemic collapse of Ephrata Borough government.

I am a local citizen journalist and legal analyst living in the shadow of this crime scene. I have spent the last week digging through property records, court dockets, and digital footprints that the Ephrata Police Department hasn't released.

This is the Sunshine Firecracker investigation. Below is the complete roadmap of what happened, who failed us, and what we demand.

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: Associated Building Inspections (ABI): 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: Will He Walk Free? Why the Jonathan Gerlach insanity defense analysis crumbles when you are running a business.
• 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.

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

COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARK NOTICE © 2026 Sunshine Firecracker / Dr. Jennifer Gayle Sappington, J.D. All Rights Reserved. "Sunshine Firecracker" and the Sunshine Firecracker logo are trademarks of Jennifer Gayle Sappington. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or modification of this work without the express written consent of the author is strictly prohibited.

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.