Pennsylvania authorities have verified that the dismembered human dead body discovered late last month belongs to a missing transgender teen.
Missing Trans Teen Identified as the Body Parts Found at Shenango River Lake
The Mercer County Coroner's Office and Pennsylvania State Police described the body parts found on June 25 in Shenango River Lake as those of 14-year-old Pauly Likens Jr.
Likens was last seen on June 23 at a public park in her hometown of Sharon, Pennsylvania, and was recorded missing two days later.
The coroner's office described the dead body on Wednesday, declaring that Likens passed away from "sharp force trauma to the head" and that her body had been dismembered with a piece of cutting equipment.
DaShawn Watkins, 29, has been detained for Likens' death and faces liabilities including first-degree killing, aggravated assault, abuse of a remains, and interfering with proof. If convicted, Watkins could be guilty to either the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Efforts to get comments from Watkins' attorney and Likens' family were unsuccessful.
Pamela Ladner, head of the Shenango Valley LGBTQIA+ Alliance, confirmed that Likens identified as a transgender girl and said the family is in shock, requesting privacy and urging authorities to charge Watkins with a hate crime.
Ladner described the killing as greatly disgusting, but Mercer County District Attorney Peter C.
Acker declared that there is no proof yet to recommend the crime was triggered by anti-transgender dislike, although this could change as the inspection progresses. Acker characterized the case as one of the most horrifying he has seen in his 46-year career.
Evidence Linking Watkins to Likens Disappearance
According to a criminal accusation, Likens was last seen leaving a friend's house to walk home around 9 p.m. on June 22. She contacted her friend on Snapchat at about 2:30 a.m. on June 23.
Authorities linked Watkins to the crime through cellphone data and security footage, which showed Likens near Budd Street Public Park between 3 and 3:40 a.m. on the day she disappeared.
Her phone last connected to cell towers at 3:40 a.m. before losing service. Footage showed Watkins' car near the park around this time and him carrying large bags into and out of his apartment the following day.
The complaint also revealed that blood was found in multiple locations in Watkins' apartment, and he purchased a cutting saw on the day Likens disappeared.
Watkins admitted to meeting an individual on Grindr, whose description matched Likens, but denied bringing her to his apartment. He claimed the large bags seen on video contained luggage from a previous vacation.
Watkins has a preliminary hearing set for July 25. A vigil for Likens is planned for Saturday in Sharon.
A social media post by TransYOUniting emphasized the need to remain vigilant in protecting trans kids and trans people. They highlight the brutal murder of 14-year-old Pauly Likens, whose life was tragically cut short by violence and hatred, serving as a stark reminder of the daily dangers faced by the community.
