This article includes graphic descriptions of murder, transphobia, and gender-based violence. Please take care while reading.
Shenango River Lake became the scene of a murder investigation when 14-year-old Pauly Likens‘ dismembered remains were discovered at the popular outdoor recreation spot, about a 10-minute drive from Sharon, Pennsylvania. Likens was last heard from on June 23, 2024, and some now call Likens’ murder a hate crime.
Likens was a transgender teen who reportedly left a friend’s house in Sharon late on June 22. Early the next morning, Likens shared on Snapchat she had gone for a walk. When a friend asked if she was okay, Likens responded she was. After that, though, Likens stopped responding, according to CNN. Video surveillance footage, meanwhile, showed someone who looked like Likens near Shenango River Lake. That footage also showed a vehicle arriving and leaving again near where police think Likens was.
Dashawn Watkins has been charged in the case
On July 11, 29-year-old Sharon resident Dashawn Watkins was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence stemming from Likens’ death. When questioned, Watkins told the police he met someone matching Likens’ description on the dating app Grindr, but he could not recall where they met or who they were.
Video footage also shows Watkins leaving his apartment complex around the same time Likens was last heard from, with a duffel bag that appeared empty. Later, he returned to the complex with the same bag that seemed difficult to carry. He then left and returned to his apartment several times the next day with several other bags. Meanwhile, blood evidence, a saw, and a receipt for the purchase of the saw were found inside Watkins’ apartment.
Police say there’s no evidence of a hate crime
Pauly Likens’ official cause of death was ruled sharp force trauma to the head, ABC News reported. Mercer County District Attorney Peter C. Acker said to date, there was no evidence to call Likens murder a hate crime, but authorities had not ruled out the possibility. Still, LGBTQ groups planned to hold a candlelight vigil for Likens on July 13.
“We must stay vigilant in protecting our trans kids and trans people. Pauly Likens, a 14-year-old, was brutally murdered, her life cut short by violence and hatred. Her story is a stark reminder of the dangers our community faces daily,” TransYOUniting, a Pittsburgh transgender, LGBTQIA+, and HIV+ nonprofit wrote on social media.
“Pauly lit up every room she entered, always making people smile and passing around her contagious laughter. Pauly was a selfless person, never missing a chance to help others and give what she could. Even as a young child, she donated her spare change to the veterans’ stand outside Walmart,” Likens’ obituary said.
