A murder charge filed against a Mercer County man accused of killing a transgender teen and dismembering their body was held for court on Thursday.
State police charged Dashawn Watkins, 29, of Mercer with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of 14-year-old Pauly Likens, who went missing in June.
Likens was reported missing June 25. Later that day, Hermitage police were called to Shenango Lake, where they found dismembered human remains eventually identified as Likens.
During a preliminary hearing Thursday, Mercer County Coroner John Libonati testified that to date, Likens’ body has not been fully recovered, according to TribLive news partner WTAE.
Watkins’ charges were held for court, and two additional charges, for homicide and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, have been added to the docket.
A Sept. 24 formal arraignment is scheduled at the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas before Judge Daniel Wallace.
