A 29-year-old man arrested on Tuesday stands accused of killing a teen who was discovered dismembered close to a Pennsylvania lake final week.
DaShawn Watkins, 29, was taken into custody and accused of fatally stabbing 14-year-old Pauly Likens Jr., who was final seen by a good friend on the night time of June 22, in keeping with experiences by NBC affiliate WFMJ. Her stays have been found three days later close to Shenango River Lake by police.
Watkins is charged with first-degree homicide, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse and tampering with or fabricating bodily proof, in keeping with court docket data reviewed by JHB.
Likens left a good friend’s house at round 9:30 pm on June 22, her good friend instructed police. She posted a photograph on Snapchat at round 2:30 a.m. the next day, in keeping with a felony grievance cited by WFMJ and Nexstar affiliate WKBN. Instantly after, the good friend messaged Likens, who responded initially however then stopped replying.
Likens’ cellphone final pinged about an hour later, and surveillance footage from her final identified location, at a park, confirmed her strolling slowly and pausing, as if ready for somebody, in keeping with the shops.
Surveillance footage additionally revealed a car pulling as much as Likens’ space and returning to an house complicated, in keeping with the grievance. The motive force was later recognized as Watkins, and video allegedly exhibits him struggling to hold a big duffel bag.
Police stated Watkins made a number of journeys from his house the next day, June 24, carrying a number of baggage and rubbish baggage, in keeping with the outlet. Likens was reported lacking to the Sharon police division on June 25, the identical day police found her stays.
Likens’ explanation for dying was sharp pressure trauma, in keeping with the outlet.
Police stated they discovered blood throughout Watkins’ house and a receipt that confirmed a purchase order of a noticed with exchangeable blades, in keeping with WFMJ.
Throughout an interview with detectives, Watkins allegedly stated he met somebody on Grindr, however couldn’t keep in mind if he went to Likens’ final identified location as a result of his “reminiscence was poor,” in keeping with WKBN.
Watkins is due in court docket for his preliminary listening to on July 17. An legal professional was not listed below his data.
Pamela Ladner, president of the LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley, instructed JHB in an electronic mail that she was given permission from the sufferer’s mother to share that Likens was transgender, and that she believes her daughter’s killing was a hate crime.
Ladner stated that authorities are nonetheless recovering physique components.