Death of Pauly Likens: Police in Sharon, Pennsylvania, arrest DaShawn Watkins for killing transgender teenager

CLARK BOROUGH, Pennsylvania (WPVI) – A western Pennsylvania man is accused of murdering and dismembering a transgender teenager.

DaShawn Watkins, 29, is facing murder charges in connection with the death of 14-year-old Pauly Likens.

On June 25, Sharon police received a report that Likens had been missing since June 22, according to a news release from the Mercer County Coroner.

That same day, Hermitage police were dispatched to a nearby lake, where they found dismembered human remains in and around the water, officials said. Likens’ remains were recovered the following week in the Shenango River Lake area, state police said.

An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was sharp force trauma to the head and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.

Surveillance footage, social media recordings and cell phone records showed that Likens appeared to be “on the phone and waiting to meet someone near the canoe launch,” state police said.

According to officials, the footage also shows Watkins leaving his apartment several times with several bags and driving to his apartment in the vehicle seen near the crime scene.

According to the Pennsylvania State Police, a preliminary blood test at several locations in Watkins’ apartment returned positive results.

He is accused of murdering and dismembering Likens, as well as grievous bodily harm, falsifying evidence and desecrating a corpse.

“Pauly would have turned 15 this past Saturday, and instead of celebrating her birthday, Mom is still trying to figure out how to plan a funeral,” said Pamela Ladner, president of the LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley. “We are very far from where we thought we were and where we needed to be in terms of advocacy and protecting our youth, especially LGBTQ youth.”

Ladner, speaking on behalf of the victim’s family, told ABC News that Likens was a prankster who played pranks on his family and was a selfless and loving child.

The victim’s family and LGBTQ activists say the killing was a hate crime, but no charges have been filed.

Watkins’ next preliminary hearing is July 17, and another is scheduled for July 25. He was arraigned on July 3, and was denied bail. He has not yet entered a guilty plea.

Local LGBTQ activist groups are planning a candlelight vigil for the teenager on July 13.

ABC News contributed to this report.