A Pennsylvania man’s murder trial began this week after he was accused of beheading his father and posting images of the crime on YouTube.
Justin Mohn, 33, is charged with more than a dozen felonies, including first- and second-degree murder, in connection with the death of his father, Michael Mohn, 68.
On the night of January 30, 2024, Justin Mohn allegedly shot and beheaded his father, later claiming that the elder man had resisted a “citizen’s arrest.” Justin Mohn then posted a 14-minute anti-government rant on YouTube, holding up his father’s severed, plastic-wrapped head and proclaiming, “Mike Mohn is in hell for being a traitor to his country.”
Michael Mohn was a semi-retired federal employee with the United States Army Corps of Engineers.
Justin Mohn’s bench trial began on Monday, nearly a year and a half after Michael’s death. His mother, Denice Mohn, whose age was unknown, testified about discovering her husband’s headless body in the first-floor bathroom of the couple’s home. Denice Mohn told the Associated Press, “I believe I screamed,” and that she was screaming out front. “I think I called 911.”
According to courtroom reports by the Bucks County Courier Times, Denice Mohn noticed a change in her son’s personality after he returned to his parents’ home in Levittown after living in Colorado.
She told the court that she and her husband thought their son might have had a “emotional breakdown” while still in Colorado and texted them “nasty things.”
Justin Mohn reportedly blamed the federal government for his inability to find work.
Denice Mohn stated, “He was not the same person. I do not think he was satisfied with his life. We were extremely worried about him. “We were just trying to help him.”
Michael and Denice Mohn were both supporting their son by paying for clothing, haircuts, his cellphone, and other necessities for a job search, including mental health treatment.
During her testimony, Denice Mohn stated that she had no idea her son held anti-government beliefs until two Bensalem police officers visited her home and inquired about his social media posts. She described the incident as a “red flag,” and the officers instructed her to warn her son to stop or he would be arrested.
Denice Mohn also testified that the family ate lunch together on the day Michael Mohn was killed. Justin Mohn had requested permission to borrow his father’s car the day before to attend an interview.
Denice Mohn told the court, “We were overjoyed he was going for an interview. We hoped for a brighter future for him. Happiness.”
Justin Mohn had driven the car to a sporting goods store to purchase the gun he allegedly used to murder his father.
