Background: News footage of Denice Mohn (center, in blazer and glasses) leaving court (WFMZ). Inset: Justin Mohn (Bucks County District Attorney).
The murder trial began this week for a Pennsylvania man accused of beheading his father and posting images of his alleged crime on YouTube.
Justin Mohn, 33, faces over a dozen felony charges, including first- and second-degree murder, related to the death of his father, 68-year-old Michael Mohn. On the night of January 30, 2024, Justin reportedly shot his father and then beheaded him, later alleging that the elder Mohn resisted a “citizen’s arrest.” Justin subsequently uploaded a 14-minute anti-government tirade to YouTube, during which he displayed his father’s severed head wrapped in plastic, declaring, “Mike Mohn is in hell for being a traitor to his country.”
Michael Mohn was a semi-retired federal employee of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Nearly 18 months following Michael Mohn’s death, Justin Mohn’s bench trial commenced on Monday. His mother, Denice Mohn, whose age wasn’t provided, testified about her experience upon discovering her husband’s headless body in their home’s first-floor bathroom. The Associated Press reported Denice Mohn’s testimony, where she recalled, “I believe I screamed,” and added, “I was screaming out front. I think I dialed 911.”
Denice Mohn, according to courtroom coverage by the Bucks County Courier Times, mentioned that she noticed a change in her son’s behavior after he returned to his parents’ house in Levittown from Colorado. She informed the court that both she and her husband suspected their son might have experienced an “emotional breakdown” while in Colorado, as he would send them “nasty texts.”
Justin Mohn also reportedly blamed the federal government for his inability to find employment.
Denice Mohn said, “He was not the same person. I don’t think he was happy with his life. We were worried sick about him. We were just trying to help him.”
Michael and Denice Mohn were both providing support to their son, including paying for clothing, haircuts, his cellphone, and other necessities for a job search — including getting mental health treatment.
During her testimony, Denice Mohn stated that she had no indication that her son held anti-government beliefs until two Bensalem police officers came to her home asking about his social media posts. She described the incident as a “red flag,” and was told by the officers to give her son a warning to stop or else he would be arrested.
Denice Mohn also testified that the family had lunch together on the day Michael Mohn was killed. The day before, Justin Mohn had asked to borrow his father’s car to go to an interview. Denice Mohn told the court, “We were so happy he was going on an interview. We were hoping for a brighter future for him. Happiness.”
Justin Mohn had used the car to drive to a sporting goods store to buy the gun that he allegedly used to kill his father.
