A tragic incident unfolded in Pennsylvania as a 29-year-old man, DaShawn Watkins, stands accused of luring a transgender teen into the woods and dismembering the victim after meeting on an online dating app. The victim, 14-year-old Pauly Likens, was reported missing by a family member on June 25, after being last seen on June 22.
According to a criminal complaint filed with the Mercer Police Department, Likens' father reported his child missing, mentioning that the teen was supposed to stay the night with an unknown friend. The Hermitage Police Department responded to a report of dismembered human remains recovered at Shenango River Lake in Clark Borough, Pennsylvania, on June 25.
Subsequent investigations, including analyzing cellphone location data, interviewing friends, and reviewing surveillance footage, led authorities to confirm that Likens was in the area on June 23. The Mercer County coroner later identified the dismembered remains as belonging to Likens, determining that the teen had been dismembered by a cutting instrument.
The cause of Likens' death was sharp force trauma to the head, ruled a homicide. Watkins, linked to the crime scene through surveillance footage, social media, and cellphone records, faces charges of murder, aggravated assault, evidence tampering, and abuse of a corpse.
Watkins allegedly admitted to meeting Likens on the LGBTQ dating app Grindr before the tragic incident occurred. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed support for the Likens family and called for stronger laws to address hate-based crimes against the LGBTQ+ community.
The investigation is ongoing, with Watkins scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 25. Authorities have not confirmed if the homicide was a hate crime. The case has sparked calls for justice and increased protection for LGBTQ+ individuals in Pennsylvania.
