On June 22, 2024, Pauly Likens, a 14-year-old transgender girl from Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania, was reported missing. Three days later, on June 25, Pennsylvania State Police discovered dismembered human remains near Shenango Lake. The Mercer County Coroner’s Office confirmed the remains belonged to Pauly. An autopsy revealed she died from fatal sharp-force trauma to the head before her body was dismembered and discarded in various locations around the lake.

On July 2, 2024, 29-year-old DaShawn Watkins, also of Sharon, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence. He is currently being held without bail at the Mercer County Jail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 25, 2024. Pauly would have turned 15 just days later, on July 6.

Police executed a search warrant at Watkins’ apartment on the day of his arrest. During the search, blood was found throughout the apartment along with a receipt for a chainsaw dated June 23 — one day after Pauly disappeared. According to WFMJ 21, the suspect told police he had arranged a date via a dating app that evening. Cell phone data placed Pauly’s last known location in the early hours of June 23 at the Community Park and Budd Street boat launch. Surveillance footage showed a person seemingly waiting for someone that night.

Preston Heldibridle, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, expressed deep grief and outrage: “We are devastated by Pauly’s death. She was only 14 years old and deserved a long, bright life. Our hearts go out to her family and friends. We demand the harshest punishment and accountability to ensure her killer never walks free again.”

The Shenango Valley Pride Picnic (SVPP), a local LGBTQ+ organization established in 2023, has been in direct contact with Pauly’s grieving family. At their request, SVPP is helping coordinate community response efforts. SVPP President Pam Ladner is organizing a vigil for Pauly on Saturday, July 13 at 7 PM in Sharon, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Youth Congress.

Ladner stated: “Our entire community is in mourning over the loss of someone so young. Pauly’s death has heightened fear and anxiety within the LGBTQ community and among parents of transgender children. We demand swift, firm justice for this heinous crime. The brutality shown toward Pauly was rooted in deep hatred. We urge government leaders to act with dignity and respect for her humanity. Every transgender Pennsylvanian murdered in the past deserved a full life. That was stolen from them.”

In recent days, the Pennsylvania Youth Congress has contacted local, state, and federal authorities, including the Mercer County District Attorney, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania. As a statewide civil rights organization focused on the inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse youth, they are calling on law enforcement to respect Pauly’s gender identity throughout the investigation and prosecution. They are also coordinating with LGBTQ partner organizations across Western Pennsylvania.

Heldibridle emphasized: “We urgently ask police and prosecutors to use Pauly’s correct pronouns, to respect her identity even in death. No law prevents them from calling her Pauly outside of court documents. There should not be a single moment where she is misgendered or deadnamed in public. To erase her identity is a profound insult to her memory and sends a message that trans youth do not matter even in death. That is absolutely unacceptable.”

Pauly’s family believes her death constitutes a hate crime. The Pennsylvania Youth Congress urges investigators and the Mercer County District Attorney to thoroughly examine the evidence and consider whether federal hate crime charges should be pursued.

Heldibridle asked: “If Pauly weren’t a transgender girl, would the suspect have targeted her? Would she have been attacked, dismembered? He has a history of violent behavior, but not to this extreme. We believe Pauly’s identity played a key role. If the evidence supports it, law enforcement must consider hate crime charges. And if they decline to prosecute as such, they must transparently explain why.”

In Pennsylvania, the Ethnic Intimidation Act once included protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation. However, a 2007 ruling by the Commonwealth Court struck down the law due to procedural issues. A new bill—HB 1027—passed the state Senate in October 2023 but remains stalled in committee. At present, the Mercer County District Attorney lacks the authority to prosecute hate crimes based on gender identity under state law. Federally, the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act protects transgender individuals, but only under specific legal conditions.
According to the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, Pauly is the 20th known transgender or nonbinary person killed in the state in the past decade and the youngest. A Mercer County official confirmed that as of July 5, not all of Pauly’s remains had been recovered.

Community partners, including SVPP and the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, continue to offer support and advocacy for LGBTQ people in the region and across the state in response to this horrific tragedy.

In closing, Heldibridle shared this message for transgender and nonbinary individuals: “We remember Pauly and the life she lived. She was a smart, joyful girl, deeply loved by her family and friends. Every day, we must protect and care for each other. No matter how cruel the world may seem, our community will continue to love you and fight for your safety and happiness.”