A criminal case says that the body of a transgender teen who had been missing in Pennsylvania since late June was found in a lake. The suspect is being charged with murder and other crimes.
Police say 29-year-old Dashawn Watkins is responsible for the death of 14-year-old Pauly Likens from Sharon, Pennsylvania. He is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. The charges were made in Mercer County District Court.
CNN has tried to get Watkins’ lawyer to respond but has not yet heard back. Pennsylvania law says that Watkins could get the death sentence or life in prison if he is found guilty.
Attorney General for Mercer County Peter C. Acker told CNN So far, police haven’t found any proof that the murder of Likens was motivated by hate.
Nevertheless, investigators are not ruling it out either. He said that if anyone has proof that this is a hate crime, the police will look into it.
The teen’s family had been looking for him for a few days when cops started finding body parts in and around the Shenango River Lake in Mercer County, according to the criminal complaint. In a statement on July 3, Mercer County Coroner John A. Libonati said the body belonged to Likens.
Sharp force trauma to the head was found to be the cause of death, and the way of death was ruled as murder, Libonati said.
The teen’s family spoke to CNN through Pamela Ladner, president of the LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley. Ladner said that Likens “was a selfless, loving child who loved nature, getting her nails done, and shopping.”
“Ladner said she wanted to be a park ranger like her Aunt Liz.” “This sad loss of a young life has united our community in grief with Pauly’s family.” We hope that justice is done.
A police report said that Likens was last seen walking home on June 22 after leaving a friend’s house. The girl wrote on Snapchat early on June 23 that she had gone for a walk late at night. The complaint said she replied the first time her friend asked if she was okay, but she didn’t answer any other texts.
The complaint says that on June 23, video surveillance from nearby businesses and homes caught a person who looked like Likens walking near a canoe launch on the Shenango River in Sharon. The surveillance also caught a car entering and leaving the area around the same time.
The suspect, Watkins, was seen on video leaving a nearby apartment complex with a big duffel bag that looked empty. He came back about 20 to 25 minutes later with the bag looking “heavy and awkward,” according to the complaint. The complaint says that video shows a car leaving the apartment complex, getting to the canoe launch spot, and then coming back to the complex at the same time.
The video shows Watkins having a hard time carrying the duffle bag and then putting it on the floor of a building hallway and then again before going into an apartment, the complaint said. Later that day, he was seen coming to the flat with a shopping bag. The next day, he left with several bags and garbage bags. The report said that when police went to the building, they saw what looked like blood stains where Watkins had put the bag on the floor.
Officially, Watkins told police that he had recently met someone he had met on Grindr, and the police said that person fit Likens’ description. This happened on July 2. It was said that Watkins said he couldn’t remember where they met or where he had gone when asked.
The report said that he said the person didn’t come to his apartment and that he brought in a big rolling suitcase that he had left in his car after a recent trip. It said that when cops searched Watkins’ apartment, they found blood, a saw, and a receipt for buying the tool.
On Saturday, there will be a candlelight gathering in Sharon for Likens. Her obituary says that people will remember the girl for her desire to help others, her love of animals, and her “contagious laughter.”
“Pauly lit up every room she walked into. Her laugh spread like wildfire, making everyone smile.” Pauly never thought about herself and always did what she could to help others. “Even when she was a little girl, she gave her spare change to the veterans’ stand outside of Walmart,” her death notice says. It was said that Pauly was a sassy kid who loved making fun of her family and spending time with them.