On July 11 and 12 2025 33yearold Justin D Mohn of Levittown Pennsylvania was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole after carrying out the horrific murder of his father Michael F Mohn aged 68 on January 30 2024 The case described by prosecutors as something straight out of a horror film not only involved firstdegree murder but also included charges of terrorism abuse of a corpse criminal use of a communication facility terroristic threats defiant trespassing and weapons offenses
The Gruesome Crime
According to court testimony Justin fatally shot his father in their home in the Philadelphia suburb Armed with a recently purchased pistol he then gruesomely decapitated him using a kitchen knife and machete After the killing Justin filmed a nearly 15minute YouTube video in which he displayed his fathers severed head identified him by name and declared he was in hell for eternity He also used the footage to espouse violent antigovernment and rightwing conspiracy messages calling for the torture and execution of federal employees
Motivations and Evidence of Terror
Prosecutors presented evidence showing Justin had engaged in meticulous planning and held extreme antigovernment beliefs They discovered a USB drive containing images of federal buildings and instructions on how to make explosives Investigators also uncovered years of online rhetoric advocating violence against government institutions The killing and the video viewed approximately 5000 times before removal were characterized as symbolic intended to intimidate federal workers
This case marks the first terrorism conviction under Pennsylvanias terrorism statute reflecting the courts conclusion that Justins crime was ideologically motivated and aimed at promoting broader political violence
Justins Defense and Competency
During trial Justin claimed he was attempting to perform a citizens arrest on his father whom he declared a traitor He alleged his father had resisted forcing him to shoot He also claimed his actions had a political purpose rather than pure violence However prosecutors vehemently dismissed this as complete and utter nonsense highlighting the premeditated nature of the act
During a competency hearing defense experts suggested Justin exhibited delusional elements claiming to have written to the Russian ambassador and apologized to President Putin calling himself czar of Russia The court ultimately found him competent to stand trial .
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Sentencing Outcome
Judge Stephen A Corr delivered the life without parole sentence after finding Justin guilty of murder and terrorism during a bench trial Prosecutors had initially sought the death penalty but withdrew that pursuit following presentation of mitigating testimony and the defenses competency considerations
District Attorney Jennifer Schorn emphasized Justins complete and utter lack of remorse and described the crime as unimaginably brutal She stated the sentence was necessary to guarantee that the community at large is safe from Justin Mohn
Family Impact and Victim Remembrance
In court family members delivered poignant victim impact statements Justins sister Stephanie Mohn conveyed the familys shock and trauma The awareness that my own brother is capable of such atrocities is terrifying that person we grew up with is long gone
Their mother Denice Mohn tearfully recounted finding her husbands severed body in the bathroom and described her sons calm demeanor throughout the trial She testified that she and her husband had been supporting Justin financially while he struggled with unemployment
Michael Mohn was remembered as a dedicated Army Corps of Engineers employee husband and father cherished for his humility humor and unwavering love
Broader Consequences
Beyond the life sentence Justins terror conviction sets a legal precedent in Pennsylvania By elevating the crime to a terrorism offense the court highlighted the potential danger of ideologically fueled violence amplified via social media Authorities underscored that his actions were not just a murder but an intentional message designed to incite political violence
This shocking case underscores the disturbing intersection of extremist ideology planned domestic violence and online platforms used to broadcast terror The sentencing marks a legal and societal milestone affirming that such extremist acts especially those utilizing media to spread terror will be prosecuted with the utmost seriousness