Justin Mohn, a 33-year-old man with severe mental illness from Pennsylvania, was sentenced to life in prison. Justine Mohn, then 38, was convicted of the brutal murder of her father-in-law, 68-year-old Michael Mohn. The grisly crime, the decapitation of his own father, has rocked the small community. It has done so, in part, by sounding the alarm bells on the growing threat of domestic extremism.
Justin Mohn ambushed his father in their home. Yet he had been having a difficult time holding onto a job after his graduation from Penn State. Michael Mohn, an employee of the federal government, was discovered decapitated in the four-holer bathhouse. His wife, Denice Mohn, came home from work to find the ghastly scene. In the general area, law enforcement found a machete and large kitchen knife, which authorities believe were used in the killing.
After the incident, resident Justin Mohn released a 15-minute video on YouTube. In it, he spread a multitude of right-wing conspiracy theories while denouncing immigrants, LGBTQ+ Americans, and the Black Lives Matter movement. In this horrifying video, he called for militias to torture and kill federal workers – exposing his extremist views.
The day of the murder, Justin Mohn picked up his young daughter and drove to a National Guard training base. His goal was to incite the soldiers to rebel against the federal government. His killings ultimately resulted in his conviction for both murder and terrorism. His conviction marks a significant moment in Pennsylvania’s legal history as it is the first instance of a person being found guilty under the state’s terrorism statute.
“The chilling use of his father’s death as a political statement is deeply disturbing,” remarked Jennifer Schorn, reflecting on the implications of Mohn’s actions. Edward Louka, the prosecutor in the case, emphasized the calculated nature of the crime: “He ambushed his dad when he was most vulnerable. He devised a plan to kill his father, a career long federal employee. Fueled by his warped ideology, he further sought to direct the killings of other federal workers in order to coerce the government to adopt his policies.
The ripple effect of Justin Mohn’s work has been enormous. None were as surprised as his sister, Stephanie Mohn, by what her brother was able to do. “The awareness that my own brother is capable of such atrocities is terrifying,” she stated. The tragic implications of this case speak to grave issues regarding violence within family and communities. It further exposes the ways that extremist ideologies prey on people suffering with their own personal burdens.