Justin Mohn Levittown murder: Investigators share disturbing new details about beheading suspect

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Prosecutors shared new details in the investigation into 32-year-old Justin Mohn, who is accused of beheading his father at his family's Levittown home and holding up the severed head during a deranged YouTube rant. 

Murder of Michael Mohn

Investigators say the headless body of 68-year-old Michael Mohn was found by his wife, Denise, in the bathroom of the family's Levittown home Tuesday night.

Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said about Mohn's death, "It was determined that Michael Mohn suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was subsequently dismembered."

Mohn's severed head was found in an adjacent room wrapped in plastic wrap and placed inside a large cooking pot, according to investigators. Denise Mohn ran to a neighbor's house after making the gruesome discovery and called police, who arrived minutes later. 

During the early stages of the investigation, authorities received word of a YouTube video that depicted the couple's son, Justin Mohn, holding Michael's severed head and delivering an unhinged rant that called for violence against federal workers.

Michael Mohn

Michael Mohn worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Philadelphia. In a statement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers called Michael Mohn a "teammate" who worked in the geo-environmental section. 

YouTube video

Schorn shared new information about the deranged murder suspect during a Friday afternoon press conference, including details about what Mohn said in a 14-minute long YouTube video posted after the killing. 

Schorn said in the video, titled ‘Mohn’s Militia: A Call to Arms for American Patriots', the Levittown man shows 68-year-old Michael Mohn's severed head wrapped in plastic wrap. She adds that Mohn states his father, who worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is "in hell for being a traitor to his country." 

"During the video, Justin Mohn provides his identity and advises that he is the commander of America's national network of militia, also known as Mohn's Militia," said Shorn, who added that Mohn ordered militia members to kill federal employees. 

"He also ordered that individuals from the FBI, IRS and other federal law enforcement officers, and for those that work at the courthouse to be arrested," Schron said. "That all federal agents, U.S. Marshals, federal judges and Border Patrol be captured and tortured for information, then publicly executed." 

Mohn, according to Schorn, shared the address of a federal judge during the video and issued a bounty on the judge and other high-ranking federal officials. Mohn is heard demanding violence against all federal employees, excluding state government employees. 

The video was viewed over 5,000 times before being taken down by the video sharing website around 10:30 p.m. A YouTube spokesperson said they terminated Mohn's account, and they are closely monitoring any attempts to re-upload the disturbing video. 

Justin Mohn's arrest

Justin Mohn fled the house after the killing, and was found by police via a cell phone ping near the gates of Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard base in Lebanon County. Mohn is believed to have climbed a perimeter fence and onto the base grounds where he was then arrested without incident. 

Schorn shared Friday that Mohn had a loaded Sig Saur 9mm handgun with a bullet missing when he was arrested by Fort Indiantown Gap Police and Pennsylvania State Troopers. Mohn purchased the pistol at a Croydon gun shop. A store worker had no comment.

Mohn allegedly revealed that he went to the base in an effort to mobilize the National Guard and demanded to speak to Gov. Josh Shapiro to "join forces." Schorn described, "The defendant stated he went to Fort Indiantown Gap in an effort to mobilize the Pennsylvania National Guard to raise arms against the federal government."

Mohn was immediately taken back to Bucks County where he was charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corps.

Police encounters with Justin Mohn

Schorn disclosed Friday that Mohn legally purchased the firearm used to kill his father a day before the murder, and even surrendered his medical marijuana card to do so. She did not comment on Mohn's mental health history, adding that there was "nothing legally precluding him from purchasing that gun." 

Middletown Township Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla told reports that his department had three previous encounters with Mohn. The first was in 2011 when police were called to an argument involving Mohn that was peacefully resolved. The second happened in 2019, when police say Mohn reported that he received a threat from a Progressive Insurance employee during the course of a lawsuit. 

Perhaps most unsettling was what police described as an "indirect contact" with Mohn when his employer called police seeking legal advice about how to terminate his employment. Chief Bartorilla said the employer was concerned about Mohn's behavior at work, including some of his writings.

"There was concern over, I guess, what Justin was writing, in novels," Chief Bartorilla stated. "We did not have contact with him after that."

What's next? 

Mohn is being held without bail at a Bucks County Correctional Facility and is due in court on Thursday. 

When asked if Mohn is expected to plead insanity, Schorn maintained that she believes he acted "with clear mind" and noted the difference between the definition of insanity and the legal term. 

"With the evidence we have gathered thus far, this individual was acting with clear mind, aware of his actions and proud of his consequences," Schorn said.