Pennsylvania man accused of beheading father and posting video of his severed head to stand trial
Justin D. Mohn, 33, faces charges of murder, abuse of a corpse, terrorism related crimes and other offenses for the 2024 killing of Michael F. Mohn at the Levittown home where they lived with the defendant's mother. She found her husband's body in a bathroom.
Prosecutors have said Justin Mohn shot his father with a newly purchased pistol, then decapitated him with a kitchen knife and machete. The 14-minute YouTube video was live for several hours before it was removed.
Mohn was armed with a handgun when arrested later that day after allegedly climbing a 20-foot (6-meter) fence at Fort Indiantown Gap, the state's National Guard headquarters. He had hoped to get the soldiers to 'mobilize the Pennsylvania National Guard to raise arms against the federal government,' Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said at a news conference last year.
Mohn had a USB device containing photos of federal buildings and apparent instructions for making explosives when arrested, authorities have said.
He also had expressed violent anti-government rhetoric in writings he published online, and the YouTube video included rants about the government, immigration and the border, fiscal policy, urban crime and the war in Ukraine.
Mohn's defense attorney, Steven M. Jones, said last week he did not anticipate the case being resolved with a plea deal.
Michael Mohn, who was 68, had been an engineer with the geoenvironmental section of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In the video, Justin Mohn described his father as a 20-year federal employee and called him a traitor.
During a competency hearing last year, a defense expert said Mohn wrote a letter to Russia's ambassador to the United States seeking a deal to give Mohn refuge and apologizing to President Vladimir Putin for claiming to be the czar of Russia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
34 minutes ago
- Forbes
Musk Mentions ‘Epstein List' Again After Trump Mocks His America Party
Elon Musk on Monday took an apparent jab at President Donald Trump—posting on X about the inconsistent White House claims about a so-called 'Epstein list'—after the president mocked the billionaire's announcement of a new political party, as the feud between the two former allies is apparently back on. The feud between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump continued to escalate after Musk ... More announced the formation of his own America Party. Getty Images In a post on X, Musk shared a meme that seems to call out the Trump administration over its failure to release a purported list of powerful clients kept by disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Musk's post is likely a response to an Axios report, which cited a Justice Department and FBI investigation report that found no evidence of Epstein maintaining such a list and using it to blackmail influential figures. Musk also responded to a post from another X account that contrasted the Axios report with an older news headline that cited Attorney General Pam Bondi saying the Epstein list was on her desk. When the feud between Musk and Trump first broke out last month, the billionaire alleged without evidence the White House had not released the Epstein list because Trump's name was on it. Musk has since deleted that post and the feud briefly thawed last month, with the billionaire expressing regret for his remarks. In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said he was 'saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.' The president said a third political party has 'never succeeded in the United States' and claimed the U.S. political system was 'not designed for them.' Trump said third parties were only good for creating 'Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS.' Before he flew from Bedminster, New Jersey, to Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Trump told reporters Musk's third-party idea was 'ridiculous.' The president added that U.S. politics have 'always been a two-party system, and starting a third party just adds to confusion…so he can have fun with it, but I think it's ridiculous.' What Do We Know About The America Party? Musk mentioned the idea of an 'America Party' last week as he assailed Trump's signature spending bill in a series of posts on X. The billionaire had tweeted: 'If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day.' The X owner later retweeted the results of an unscientific poll he conducted on the platform last month and wrote, 'VOX POPULI VOX DEI 80% voted for a new party.' Musk informally launched the party on Saturday, after bashing both the Democrats and the GOP by referring to them as the 'uniparty.' According to the Axios report, the Trump administration plans to release both raw and "enhanced" versions of videos that reportedly show that no one entered the area of the prison where Epstein was being held on the night of his death. The investigators believe this supports the earlier medical evidence that the financier took his own life, a version of events several right-wing influencers have questioned in the past. The memo also reportedly notes that investigators did not find any 'incriminating 'client list'' owned by Epstein or 'credible evidence' to support claims that Epstein was blackmailing influential clients. Tangent In the Truth Social post, where he mocked Musk's new party, Trump said Musk was angry about his signature spending bill's passage, as it 'eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate.' The president claimed when Musk endorsed him in the 2024 race, he asked the billionaire 'whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate…He said he had no problems with that.' Trump also said Musk had asked him to nominate 'one of his close friends,' Jared Isaacman, for the NASA administrator role. The president claimed he was 'surprised to learn' that Isaacman was a 'blue blooded Democrat' and also felt it was 'inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon's corporate life.' Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination in May. Further Reading Trump-Musk Feud: Musk Says Trump's Comments About Him Are 'Just Plain Wrong' (Forbes) Elon Musk Suggests His New 'America Party' Will Target Senate And House Seats (Forbes) Elon Musk Announces New 'America Party' In Split With Democrats And Republicans (Forbes)
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Florida man, 60, says he lost $1.6M in an elaborate investment scam — fronted by a woman he'd known for years
Real estate scams are all too common and older people tend to be easy targets. When Jose Luis Fernandez of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida invested money with Ybis Del Carmen of Realty Golden Group, he wasn't worried. After all, he had known her since 2012. But authorities say Del Carmen wound up stealing more than $1.6 million from Fernandez through an elaborate real estate fraud scheme. And now, Fernandez's life will never be the same. "I lost everything," he told WPLG Local 10 News, the pain evident in his voice. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Fernandez says he trusted Del Carmen to invest his money in a six foreclosure properties valued at around $842,000, reports WPLG Local 10 News. He gave her full access to his business bank account at Truist Bank so she could facilitate those transactions on his behalf. Del Carmen gave Fernandez documentation in support of the various sales, but it was all fake, say police. She never bought any of the properties she said she did. Fernandez became suspicious when he wanted his money and Del Carmen kept making excuses about why it wasn't available. Now, he calls his situation "very complicated." Members of the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department arrested Del Carmen, who faces charges of organized fraud and grand theft, says Local 10 News. And there's concern that she may have defrauded investors other than Fernandez. People with knowledge of her real estate fraud, or related fraud, are encouraged to report it anonymously at 305-471-8477. Read more: No millions? No problem. With as little as $10, here's of diversified assets usually only available to major players In 2024, there were 9,359 real estate fraud complaints filed, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Report. All told, consumers lost more than $173,000 million to real estate fraud. Sadly, it was older people who were most likely to lose money to real estate scams. In 2024, people ages 50 to 59 lost $22,466,504 to real estate fraud, compared to $6,623,054 among people in their 30s and $9,331,733 among people in their 40s. But people ages 60 and over reported 1,765 real estate crimes last year totaling an astounding $76,324,236 in losses. Because so many older people live or retire in Florida, it's not surprising that the state ranks among those with the most fraud complaints. In 2024, Florida came in third in that category, following only California and Texas. It was also third in terms of total financial losses. A big reason older people may be more likely to fall victim to real estate fraud is that they have more assets than their younger counterparts. And as the FBI states about scams in general, "Seniors are often targeted because they tend to be trusting and polite. They also usually have financial savings, own a home and have good credit — all of which make them attractive to scammers." In the context of real estate, the problem is that it's not difficult to create documents that look legitimate. Scammers can download public records and duplicate or manipulate them in a way that seems official. Plus, it's just not that difficult to pull off a real estate scam in general, even when the victim is someone younger and relatively tech-savvy. All a criminal needs to do is search for listings, pretend to be the agent in charge, forge some sale documents and take people's money. It's easy enough to look at public records to find a given property's rightful owner's name. From there, anyone can draft a contract, get a fake notary stamp and take other such actions that lead an innocent person to believe they're buying real estate when they aren't. You don't necessarily have to be older to fall victim to a real estate scam. But if you're vigilant, you can potentially avoid one. First, be wary of properties that seem like too much of a bargain. If you do some research and find that the average home price in your area for a three-bedroom is $400,000, a similarly sized home being sold for $200,000 should raise a red flag. Also, be careful with off-market properties. If a given home isn't listed on MLS, you may want to stay away. It's also important to verify the credentials of anyone who tries to sell you a home. Before you agree to a transaction, get references for the real estate agent involved and check up on their license to make sure it's valid. Unfortunately, it's possible for someone to have a valid license and still engage in fraud, but it's an extra layer of protection nonetheless, which means the fraudster has more to lose. Finally, always read your paperwork thoroughly and dig up all of the necessary property details. Inspect the deed and title of the property and review your contract carefully. Your best bet may be to hire a real estate attorney who is not only able to review your contract, but help with their expertise to do due diligence so you get extra peace of mind. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Money doesn't have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A Vermont dairy farm was raided. The mixed messages from Washington since then have increased fears
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — After six 12-hour shifts milking cows, José Molina-Aguilar's lone day off was hardly relaxing. On April 21, he and seven co-workers were arrested on a Vermont dairy farm in what advocates say was one of the state's largest-ever immigration raids. 'I saw through the window of the house that immigration were already there, inside the farm, and that's when they detained us,' he said in a recent interview. 'I was in the process of asylum, and even with that, they didn't respect the document that I was still holding in my hands.' Four of the workers were swiftly deported to Mexico. Molina-Aguilar, released after a month in a Texas detention center with his asylum case still pending, is now working at a different farm and speaking out. 'We must fight as a community so that we can all have, and keep fighting for, the rights that we have in this country,' he said. The owner of the targeted farm declined to comment. But Brett Stokes, a lawyer representing the detained workers, said the raid sent shock waves through the entire Northeast agriculture industry. 'These strong-arm tactics that we're seeing and these increases in enforcement, whether legal or not, all play a role in stoking fear in the community,' said Stokes, director of the Center for Justice Reform Clinic at Vermont Law and Graduate School. That fear remains given the mixed messages coming from the White House. President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a promise to deport millions of immigrants working in the U.S. illegally, last month paused arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels. But less than a week later, the assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said worksite enforcement would continue. Such uncertainty is causing problems in big states like California, where farms produce more than three-quarters of the country's fruit and more than a third of its vegetables. But it's also affecting small states like Vermont, where dairy is as much a part of the state's identity as its famous maple syrup. Nearly two-thirds of all milk production in New England comes from Vermont, where more than half the state's farmland is dedicated to dairy and dairy crops. There are roughly 113,000 cows and 7,500 goats spread across 480 farms, according to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, which pegs the industry's annual economic impact at $5.4 billion. That impact has more than doubled in the last decade, with widespread help from immigrant labor. More than 90% of the farms surveyed for the agency's recent report employed migrant workers. Among them is Wuendy Bernardo, who has lived on a Vermont dairy farm for more than a decade and has an active application to stop her deportation on humanitarian grounds: Bernardo is the primary caregiver for her five children and her two orphaned younger sisters, according to a 2023 letter signed by dozens of state lawmakers. Hundreds of Bernardo's supporters showed up for her most recent check-in with immigration officials. 'It's really difficult because every time I come here, I don't know if I'll be going back to my family or not,' she said after being told to return in a month. Like Molina-Aguilar, Rossy Alfaro also worked 12-hour days with one day off per week on a Vermont farm. Now an advocate with Migrant Justice, she said the dairy industry would collapse without immigrant workers. 'It would all go down,' she said. 'There are many people working long hours, without complaining, without being able to say, 'I don't want to work.' They just do the job.' ___ Ramer reported from Concord, N.H. Holly Ramer And Amanda Swinhart, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
