A 14-year-old girl had gone missing since late June is said to have been killed and dismembered by a 29-year-old man in Pennsylvania.
In connection with the death of young Pauly A. Likens, Jr., DaShawn Watkins was detained on Tuesday and charged on one count each of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a body, and tampering with or falsifying physical evidence.
The Hermitage Police Department responded to a complaint on June 25 about possible human remains found in the Shengano River Lake in Clark Borough, Pennsylvania, which is approximately 75 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.
First responders reported finding human remains at least partially immersed in the lake water when they arrived at the scene. Pennsylvania State Police was called in by local law enforcement, and PSP detectives took up the investigation.
On July 3, Mercer County Coroner John A. Libonati verified that Pauly’s bones were found in Shengano River Lake.
After conducting an examination, a forensic pathologist from the coroner’s office concluded that Pauly’s cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and that her manner of death was homicide. Furthermore, the evidence suggested that a “cutting instrument” was used to dismember Pauly.
According to the Sharon Herald, about a week after the first find, other remains were found in several different locations surrounding the lake. On June 27, state police investigators were allegedly seen operating an underwater drone.
Pauly was last observed in person by a young buddy on June 22 at approximately 9:30 p.m., according to the report. She had informed her father that she was going to a friend’s place for the night.
After not hearing from Pauly, her family filed a missing person’s complaint with the Sharon Police Department, stating that this was the first time Pauly had left the house without informing anybody.
On June 26, Pauly’s acquaintance reported to the police that she had left her house at approximately 9:30 p.m. and claimed to be walking home.
Nevertheless, the friend claimed to have messaged Pauly to check on her well-being after discovering that Pauly had shared on social media about going for a late-night walk at roughly 2:30 a.m. Pauly apparently replied to the friend once, letting her know that everything was good. No one responded to any more texts.
Pauly was located around 3 a.m. in the vicinity of Canoe Launch and Budd Street Public Park by investigators using her phone records. Witness footage verified her presence and suggested she was anticipating someone.
Police were able to identify a car that had pulled over in the vicinity where Pauly had been walking before it returned to the Riverwalk Apartments thanks to footage from nearby businesses. Watkins was driving the car, according to the police.
According to reports, Watkins was seen repeatedly leaving his unit with “multiple bags and garbage bags” in surveillance footage from the apartment complex. He is said to have at least once been spotted straining to lift a sizable duffel bag.
Watkins admitted to police, upon questioning, that the suitcase he was seen holding in the video was just some extra luggage from a recent trip he had left in his car. Watkins further claimed that he had met someone using the dating app Grindr and that they had had sex.
When police carried out a search order on Watkins’ residence on July 2, they allegedly discovered blood in several places, including under the lining of the toilet floor.
According to a receipt, Watkins bought an electric saw with replaceable blades on June 23. The saw was found inside the house, but the blade was gone.
Pauly’s aunt Liz Morsillo described her as “just amazing” and referred to her untimely death as “unfathomable.”
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She told the broadcaster that “only an absolute monster could do something like that to anyone, let alone a child. I hope he gets what he deserves.”
Watkins is being detained without bond at the Mercer County Jail right now. On July 17, he is expected to appear in court for his preliminary hearing at 10 a.m.
Pauly’s mother gave the LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley permission to disclose that Pauly is a transgender woman. Here is a GoFundMe campaign to assist the family with memorial and funeral costs.
