Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Life for Father’s Murder and Beheading

Doylestown, Pennsylvania — A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday for murdering his father and posting a video of the gruesome act on YouTube. Justin D. Mohn, 33, was found guilty of killing 68-year-old Michael Mohn in January 2024 at their Levittown home.

Bucks County Judge Stephen A. Corr handed down the sentence after considering the horrific nature of the crime, which prosecutors described as a “cold, calculated, organized plan.” Following the sentencing, District Attorney Jennifer Schorn emphasized that Mohn showed a “complete and utter lack of remorse,” characterizing the act as “unimaginable, unfathomable.”

According to prosecutors, Justin Mohn shot his father with a handgun purchased just a day earlier, then decapitated him. The disturbing 14-minute video he subsequently posted on YouTube remained online for hours before it was removed. In the video, he branded his father a traitor and called for others to rise against the federal government.

During the trial, Mohn testified that he believed he was attempting to make a “citizen’s arrest” and claimed his father threatened him. Mohn stated that his father had allegedly grabbed a gun, prompting him to react with deadly force. He argued that his actions, including decapitation, were intended as a message to federal workers.

Victim impact statements revealed Michael Mohn as a beloved husband and father, celebrated for his career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Those who remembered him painted a picture of a man devoted to his family and community.

Mohn was captured later on the day of the murder after climbing a fence at Fort Indiantown Gap, where he called for an uprising against the government. Authorities discovered materials on him suggesting he had plans for further violence.

This case has reignited discussions surrounding gun violence and the responsibility of social media platforms in monitoring harmful content. Bucks County has joined many in expressing relief over the conviction, hoping to ensure community safety.

The verdict offers some measure of justice for Michael Mohn’s family, yet District Attorney Schorn highlighted the enduring pain from this tragedy, stating, “It’s unimaginable what the defendant did to his father and to his family.”