14 years old. A horrendous death. Prevention and education is why Scottie works so hard on this blog. I will add that drag queens did not do this, nor did trans men or trans women.
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In a heart-wrenching and tragic incident, prosecutors are committed to seeking justice for Pauly Likens, a 14-year-old trans girl from Sharon, PA, who was brutally murdered last month. Her remains were found scattered around a park lake an hour north of Pittsburgh.
Mercer County District Attorney Peter C. Acker expressed his determination to bring justice for Pauly and her family. “The bottom line is that we have a 14-year-old, brutally murdered and dismembered,” Acker stated in an email. “Pauly Likens deserves justice, her family deserves justice, and we seek to deliver that justice.”
The tragic events unfolded on June 23, when DaShawn Watkins allegedly encountered Pauly near Budd Street Public Park and Canoe Launch in Sharon, PA. Authorities allege that Watkins killed Pauly and then dismembered her body, scattering her remains in and around Shenango River Lake in Clark Borough.
Watkins was apprehended on July 2 and has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. He is currently being held without bail in Mercer County jail. The coroner’s office reported that Pauly’s cause of death was sharp force trauma to the head and ruled it a homicide.
Investigators have linked Watkins to the crime through cell phone records, social media, and surveillance footage. Additionally, traces of Pauly’s blood were discovered in and around Watkins’ apartment in Sharon, PA.
In honor of Pauly’s memory, a candlelight vigil is scheduled for Saturday, July 13. Hosted by the LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley, the vigil will take place at 7 p.m. at 87 Stambaugh Ave. in Sharon, PA. Pamela Ladner, president of the Alliance, shared her condolences and memories of Pauly. “Pauly’s aunt described her as a sweet soul, inside and out,” Ladner wrote in an email. “She was a selfless child who loved nature and aspired to be a park ranger like her aunt.”
District Attorney Acker emphasized the severity of the crime, calling it one of the worst he has seen in his 46-year career. However, he noted that it is not being classified as a hate crime. “PSP [Pennsylvania State Police] does not believe it is a hate crime because the defendant admitted to being homosexual and the victim was reportedly a trans girl,” Acker explained.
Acker commended the efforts of various criminal justice agencies involved in the case, including the Pennsylvania State Police, Hermitage Police Department, Sharon Police Department, park rangers from the Shenango Reservoir, Mercer County Coroner John Libonati, and cadaver dog search units. “The amount of hours dedicated to identifying the victim and filing charges against the defendant is immense,” Acker noted. “We take the murder of any individual very seriously, especially when they are young and brutally killed and dismembered.”
This is an ongoing story, and we will provide updates as they become available.
Scottie's Playtime 
I’m still crying over Pauly….it is horrific what people do to each other all in the name of “morality”.
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The cruelty is just enraging and stupendous. All murder is bad. But things like this -just awful.
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Hi. Thank you Ali for posting this. This is what I do the blog for, to give a voice to those that don’t have one or can’t get theirs heard. What a tragic story. Do they know why she was killed? Did the boy what something she did not want to do / give up? Hugs. Scottie
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Well, you know, since you ask, I should click through for updates. Let me look a bit, and I’ll try to bring something back.
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Hi Ali. Don’t stress, but yes that is the kind of thing I am very interested in, as a guy man in a same-sex marriage, in the DeathSantis state of Florida, these things affect me. Hugs. Scottie
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I clicked through to the paper, then searched her name. So far, there is only this story and the notice of her memorial. The case is probably going through the system now. I think I recall that the suspect is in custody, so the system is grinding as it grinds. Likely the smaller hearings, like probable cause/arraignment, aren’t going to make the news. I wouldn’t know how to look at the Court system’s public records when I don’t live in that state, so that’s the best I can tell you from work in Courts here-it grinds through to an eventual plea or trial date. The plea will probably be published then; if there’s a trial, there’ll probably be something about it, or at least its disposition. But those will be weeks from now. I’m sorry!
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A local news station carried some video of the vigil.
U.S. Senator John Fetterman, Government Officials Make Appearance – Erie News Now
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Thank you, Janet! I hope you’re staying cool today.
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It’s pleasant enough. Current indoor temperature is 79 in my bedroom. But given my dysautonomia causes my core temp to run low, I’m comfortable. 💜
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I was going to post the piece you linked, but couldn’t grab any of it to copy. I’m kinda lazy about transcribing by hand. Also, there were hurtful comments there, which is too bad, as the article seemed to provide fair and simple coverage only. Ah, well.
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Check your email.
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Got it!
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I learned long ago “Never read the comments.”
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I should learn to never. I only rarely do, but there are few exceptions to the “never” rule!
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OK. Janet went, and snagged that story she linked in the comment above, sent it to me, and here it is, below. There is a nice photoon the news page, of Sen. Fetterman at the memorial.
“The Sharon community, friends and family, allies and government officials gave speeches, calls to action and words of encouragement. U.S. Senator John Fetterman also gave remarks during the event.
“‘I would just encourage Pauly’s friends and family to be patient with themselves,’ said attendee Krysti Horvat.
“Horvat has gone through this before in the past. The Boardman, Ohio native lost a friend at a young age, that was gone unexpectedly, and way too soon.
“‘[Pauly] was just a baby,” Horvat said. “My friend when she was murdered, she was 20 years old. It’s a long journey from here.’
“As a transgender person and a representative of Governor Josh Shapiro’s office, Ashleigh Strange encountered old feelings when she heard about Pauly: a fear to walk outside the door on a daily basis. Strange, the Executive Director of the Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, was one of the speakers at the vigil.
“‘I know that I needed to be here in person with the family, just to listen,’ Strange said. ‘I felt like it could be me next.’
“The vigil was met with resistance from protests, but that did not stop the mission of those in attendance, lighting candles and saying Pauly’s name.
“‘When we lit the candles, I saw Pauly’s loved ones weep,’ said Jason Landau Goodman, Board President of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress Foundation. ‘There’s so much support here that it outshines any hate or violence that can exist here or anywhere else.'”
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Thank you Ali and Janet for the update. Hugs. Scottie
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