Man accused of beheading father was steeped in conspiracy theories

Will Carless, USA TODAY
·4 min read
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A Pennsylvania man charged with murdering and beheading his father espoused far-right conspiracy theories in an online video, books he authored, and lawsuits he filed. Meanwhile, a “convoy” of vehicles is headed to the U.S.-Mexico border but appears to be far smaller than planners predicted.  And extremists are arrested across the country while an anti-LGBTQ+ fire-bomber gets 18 years in prison.

It’s the week in extremism.

Man suspected of beheaded father steeped in far-right conspiracy theories

Photo provided by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office shows Justin Mohn, 32, following his arrest in connection with the death of his father on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Pennsylvania police say Mohn decapitated his father and showed the head in a video uploaded to YouTube.
Photo provided by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office shows Justin Mohn, 32, following his arrest in connection with the death of his father on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. Pennsylvania police say Mohn decapitated his father and showed the head in a video uploaded to YouTube.

Justin Mohn, who was arrested this week and charged with murdering his father, posted a video on YouTube the night of the alleged killing in which he displayed what is believed to have been his father’s disembodied head wrapped in plastic. In the video, Mohn ranted about far-right conspiracy theories and other, sometimes disjointed messages. A USA TODAY review of his social media postings, lawsuits and books revealed support for former President Donald Trump and an obsession with far-right narratives.

  • In the 15-minute video posted to YouTube (and since removed) Mohn touched on several far-right talking points, including saying there was an “invasion” of immigrants across the border, that progressive cities like San Francisco have become “lawless,” and that the LGBTQ+ community, Antifa and Black Lives Matter movements are “extremist organizations.” He also railed against affirmative action.

  • The perceived threat of immigrants, anti-fascists, activists aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement and the LGBTQ+ community has been a favorite narrative of far-right influencers and conservative journalists for years.

  • Several books were available on Amazon under Mohn's name, including a 2020 pamphlet entitled “America’s Coming Bloody Revolution.” His most recent dystopian novel, apparently published just last month, begins with a scene where recent university graduates are led to their death by a character with blue hair who Mohn gives a homophobic epithet for a name.

  • Mohn filed several lawsuits, beginning in 2018, against his former employer and the federal government. Among his complaints, he argued he has been discriminated against because of his gender and because he is “overeducated.” Perceived discrimination against white males has also been a favorite theme for far-right commentators.

We don’t yet know if Mohn watched or engaged with major far-right influencers. ”But the talking points that he used are the same ones that we've heard from these influencers,” said Katherine Keneally, head of threat analysis and prevention at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Mohn was arraigned Wednesday on charges of first-degree murder.

Convoy heads to the border, but remains small

Juanita Martinez, 67, stands outside Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, which has been taken over by Texas National Guard troops to stem the flow of undocumented migrants. Martinez opposes the closing of the park and other tactics, including concertina wire and buoys.
Juanita Martinez, 67, stands outside Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, which has been taken over by Texas National Guard troops to stem the flow of undocumented migrants. Martinez opposes the closing of the park and other tactics, including concertina wire and buoys.

On Monday morning, a group calling itself the “Take Our Border Back” convoy set off on a 2,000-mile trip from Virginia Beach to Eagle Pass, a small town on the U.S.-Mexico border that has become a flashpoint in the recent surge in illegal border crossings and the legal confrontation between Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the federal government.

  • Video and live-streams from the convoy mid-week showed a few dozen vehicles including recreational vehicles and pickup trucks.

  • Organizers say they plan to end up at a ranch in Quemado, Texas, 20 miles north of Eagle Pass, for a rally on Saturday.

  • There are also rallies planned for San Ysidro, California, and Yuma, Arizona. It’s unclear how many people will show up, but the organizers have raised more than $160,000 from  one online fundraiser alone.

Arrests, sentences in extremism cases

Authorities submitted a photo of Aimenn Penny at a March 11, 2023 "White Lives Matter' protest in a criminal complaint.
Authorities submitted a photo of Aimenn Penny at a March 11, 2023 "White Lives Matter' protest in a criminal complaint.

This week saw several arrests of people accused of planning extremist crimes, and the sentencing of a man who fire-bombed a church hosting a drag event.

  • Aimenn Penny, 20, was sentenced to 18 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $10,000 in restitution to the Community Church of Chesterland in Geauga County, Ohio. Penny, a member of two far-right extremist groups, pleaded guilty last year to trying to burn the building down by throwing Molotov cocktails at its front door. The church was due to host a drag show.

  • In New York, two brothers were arrested this week and indicted on 130 criminal charges after authorities found them in possession of an “arsenal” of improvised weapons, ghost guns and rifles. Prosecutors allege the men also had “anarchist propaganda” and a “hit list” of targets.

  • In Massachusetts a man was arrested Monday and charged with with threatening to kill members of the local Jewish community and bomb places of worship.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pennsylvania man accused of beheading father spread extremist theories