In Mercer County, a male is being accused of the murder and dismemberment of a 14-year-old who is missing.
DaShawn Watkins is currently facing a variety of offenses, including criminal homicide, in relation to the death of 14-year-old Paul Likens Jr., according to a news release issued by Pennsylvania State Police Troop D on Wednesday.
According to the news release, the Sharon Police Department received a complaint of a missing 14-year-old on June 25. Law enforcement was summoned to Shenango Lake in Clark Borough, Mercer County, later that day, where they discovered dismembered human remains in the water.
According to state police, they assumed responsibility for the investigation and discovered additional dismembered remains in the vicinity of the lake. according to the news release, they were the remains of the teenager. The coroner determined that the cause of death was sharp force trauma to the skull, and the manner of death was homicide.
“Evaluation by a forensic pathologist indicates that the victim was dismembered by some type of cutting instrument,” according to the media release.
The adolescent was in the vicinity of Budd Street Public Park and the canoe launch near Budd Street on June 23 between 3 a.m. and 3:40 a.m., according to the State Police. According to the police, the teenager appeared to be anticipating the arrival of an individual.
The authorities reported that a vehicle was discovered in the vicinity at the time by video surveillance. The vehicle was subsequently traced back to Riverwalk Apartments and subsequently to Watkins. According to the news release, Watkins exited his apartment on numerous occasions with waste bags and numerous bags. According to officials, blood was also discovered in Watkins’ apartment.
Watkins, a resident of Sharon, is currently incarcerated in the Mercer County Jail. Watkins told police that he used a social media app to meet up with an individual who was characterized as resembling the teen, but law enforcement is unaware of the relationship between the two, according to CBS News.
The Pennsylvania State Police are available to assist anyone with information regarding the matter.