SHARON – As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Sharon city Councilman Taylor Galaska called the murder of transgender teenager Pauly Likens deeply troubling and incredibly heartbreaking.
“A situation that may seem like something nightmares are made of has become a reality in our own community,” Galaska said. “Pauly’s life was taken far too soon. A stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals.”
Pauly, who was 14, was murdered June 23 in downtown Sharon near the Budd Street canoe launch along the Shenango River, authorities say.
Dashawn Dale Depree Watkins, 29, of 335 Sterling Ave., Apartment A111, Sharon, was arrested July 3 and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Pamela Ladner, director of the Shenango Valley LGBTQIA+ Alliance in Sharon, said she has spoken to Pauly’s mother, Jennifer, and she confirmed that Pauly identified as a transgender girl.
“She wants to make sure people know that is how Pauly saw herself prior to dying,” Ladner said. “There’s been a lot of male references, and she would like that not to be the case.”
Mercer County District Attorney Peter C. Acker said he does not plan to charge Watkins with a hate crime.
“I’ve gotten several questions about whether or not we’re investigating this as a hate crime,” Acker said. “The answer is no, because the defendant is an admitted hom*osexual and the victim was transitioning.”
Acker said this is one of the worst homicide cases he’s ever seen in his 46 years as a lawyer.
“I’ve seen a lot of stuff over the years,” Acker said. “We’ve had dismemberment cases before, but this is especially bad. I hope I never see another one of these.”
Police said in a criminal complaint that Sharon police took a report at 2:31 p.m. June 25 that Pauly had gone missing. Pauly’s father said she was going to spend the night at a friend’s house, but he did not know the name of the friend.
Police interviewed a friend of Pauly’s who said she was at her house on June 22 until about 9 or 9:30 p.m. and that she left to walk home. About 2:30 a.m., Pauly posted an image on Snapchat of a dark road and said she was out for a late-night walk to clear her mind. The friend said Pauly told her she was OK.
On July 1, police reportedly had no leads to indicate whether anyone had seen or had contact with Pauly since the early morning hours of June 23.
Pauly’s cellular provider indicated that she may have left the area of her house on Cedar Avenue and gone a few blocks away toward Budd Street and the Shenango Valley Freeway (U.S. Route 62) between 3 and 3:40 a.m. June 23. Her cell phone shut off at 3:40 a.m.
Video images obtained from a business and residence near the location showed a person whose appearance was consistent with Pauly’s description walking south on South Dock Street then west on Budd Street. The person was shown using a cell phone, walking slowly and pausing frequently. Police said she appeared to be waiting for someone.
Pauly appeared to have been in the area of the canoe launch, which is off West Budd Street near the freeway, for a period of time.
On July 25, Hermitage police responded a report of dismembered human remains at Shenango River Lake in Clark recovered partly in the water. Over the next week, other dismembered human remains were recovered in the area surrounding the lake. That area of the lake is about 10 miles northeast of the canoe launch in downtown Sharon.
Mercer County Coroner John A. Libonati confirmed the remains to be Pauly’s. Upon completion of an autopsy for some of the recovered remains, the coroner’s office ruled Pauly’s cause of death to be sharp force trauma to the head with the manner of death as homicide.
Surveillance video from June 23 in the area of the canoe launch shows a vehicle entering and exiting the canoe launch when Pauly’s phone last connected with cellular towers in the area.
State police found that the vehicle traveled from the nearby Riverwalk Apartment complex onto Sterling Avenue, turned east on Budd Street, across the Budd Street bridge over the Shenango River and into the lane toward the wooded canoe launch.
A short time later, surveillance images show the vehicle turning toward the Riverwalk Apartment building, where Watkins lives. After the vehicle leaves the canoe launch, the victim is not seen leaving the area, police said.
Police also watched video surveillance from inside Watkins’ apartment complex from the early morning hours of June 23.
The surveillance shows Watkins seen carrying a large duffle bag out of the apartment just prior to the time of Pauly’s last known phone activity. The video evidence shows that Watkins took this duffle bag with him to make initial contact with Pauly on June 23, authorities say. At that time, the bag appeared to be empty.
Watkins returns 20 to 25 minutes later carrying the duffle bag, which then appears to be heavy and awkward, into the first floor of the apartment building.
Police said Watkins struggled to carry the bag and placed it on the floor twice, and a substance that appeared to be blood can be seen in the surveillance images in the area where Watkins placed the bag in the hallway. The video shows Watkins returning a short time later to clean up the hallway.
The video images then show Watkins leaving and returning to the apartment carrying a shopping bag. Later in the early hours of June 24, video shows Watkins make multiple trips out of the apartment complex carrying multiple bags and garbage bags.
State troopers detained Watkins on July 2.
The troopers interviewed Watkins at the Sharon Police Department. According to the criminal complaint, Watkins told police he used the Grindr app to arrange a meetup with someone.
Grindr bills itself online as “the world’s largest social networking app for gay bi, trans and queer people.”
In the interview, Watkins said he did not previously know the person whom he described as Pauly. Watkins said he had sexual contact with the person at a location off East Broadway Avenue and that he might have gone to the canoe launch but couldn’t remember.
Watkins explained the bag by telling police that he took a large bag from his car that had been there from a vacation from about a month ago.
Police executed search warrants on the entryway of 335 Sterling Ave. and of Watkins’ apartment. Preliminary tests indicated that there was blood in the hallway and inside the apartment at multiple locations including the bathroom and under the bathroom flooring. A receipt from June 23 indicated that Watkins bought a saw with exchangeable blades, which was found in the apartment.
Acker said the investigation is far from over.
“These investigations are never closed until there’s a conviction or an acquittal,” Acker said. “It’s a constantly evolving, always-changing investigation, and as additional facts come out, we consider them.”
Watson faces a preliminary hearing Thursday, July 25.
Acker said Hermitage and Sharon police played very important roles in the investigation.
“Hermitage calling in state police was a key factor,” Acker said. “There’s been a lot of people involved in this investigation, and it’s not over.”
Acker said authorities have not yet found all of Pauly’s remains.
Ladner, the director of the LGBTQIA+ Alliance, said before anyone even connected human remains being found with Pauly missing, she was already receiving messages from concerned parents of other transgender children.
“For something like this to happen makes it even more necessary to have a physical location for our institute,” Ladner said. “But it reinstates fear and makes it worse.”
Ladner said she contacted Pauly’s mother after hearing that Pauly was transgender in an effort to stop misinformation.
“I reached out and everybody was making assumptions and mom confirmed it,” Ladner said.
Ladner said Pauly’s mom not only confirmed her daughter’s identity, but gave Ladner permission to hold a vigil honoring Pauly. It will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13 at the newly opened LGBTQIA+ Alliance Center at 87 Stambaugh Ave. in Sharon.
Galaska also pointed out that Sharon City School District has made counselors available for any classmates that are concerned or affected by the tragedy.
The high school’s website says counselors will be available from 9 a.m. to noon Monday at Sharon Middle/High School for any student who would like to speak with a counselor.
“The entire community is feeling the loss and mourning with the family,” Ladner said. “It’s tragic, and then to be part of a targeted demographic makes it even more tragic.”
NOTE: All defendants are to be considered innocent until proven guilty or adjudicated guilty in court.
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
