DaShawn Watkins, Sharon, Pennsylvania man accused of killing Pauly Likens transitioning transgender teen as prosecutors now state that hate crime charges will not be brought forward.
A Pennsylvania man stands accused of killing and dismembering a transgender teenager he met through a dating app last month.
DaShawn Watkins, 29, of Sharon, PA, was arrested on July 2nd with the murder of Pauly Likens, 14, of Sharon a transgender girl, last seen on June 22 and reported missing 3 days later.
That same day, police recovered dismembered human remains in and around the waters of Shenango River Lake, and more remains were found in the area over the next week.
No hate crime charges to be brought forward
The Mercer County Coroner’s Office determined Pauly — who would have turned 15 on Saturday — died from sharp force trauma to the head before being dismembered. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Following his arrest, Watkins was charged with first degree murder, aggravated assault, evidence tampering and abuse of corpse. The victim’s family and LGBTQ activists say the killing was a hate crime, and have demanded prosecutors move forward on those charges WPVI reported.
Mercer County District Attorney Peter C. Acker has since said hate crime charges will not be pursued because Watkins is homosexual and Likens was transitioning.
During police questioning, Watkins stated arranging a meeting on June 22 with someone he communicated with through the dating app Grindr according to Pennlive.
Watkins told police he had sex with the person he met through the dating app — who matched Likens’ description — while claiming he did not take the person back to his apartment.
Watkins claimed having sexual contact at a spot that he drove to and that where the other party walked to, while not necessarily conceding the person he had sex with was Likens.
Premeditated murder?
Surveillance footage, social media records and cellphone records found that Pauly appeared to be on the phone and waiting to meet someone near the lake’s canoe launch area that evening, county prosecutors said.
Authorities said the footage also captured Watkins making several trips out of his apartment in the early morning hours of June 23, carrying multiple bags and driving to his apartment in a vehicle that was seen near the lake.
Blood and a saw where found in his apartment, northjersey.com reported.
When asked about lacerations on his hand, he allegedly claimed he injured himself ‘on a piece of sheet metal while searching for reptiles,’ The Erie Times-News reported.
Police used cellphone records, surveillance video and blood found in Watkins’ apartment to charge him, according to the arrest records.
Watkins who had yet to enter a plea, remains held without bail at the Mercer County Jail and is scheduled to next appear in court on July 17.
Sharon is located in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a city with a population of approximately 13,000 residents.
