Grisly details emerge about killing and dismemberment of transgender Pennsylvania teenager

MERCER, Pa. (KDKA) -- Grisly details emerged about the killing and dismemberment of a transgender teenager in Mercer County during a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Twenty-nine-year-old Dashawn Watkins is charged with homicide in the death of 14-year-old Pauly Likens , who was reported missing and was later found dismembered around a lake in Mercer County.

During Watkins' preliminary hearing on Thursday, the coroner testified that some of Likens' body parts are still missing. The coroner said Likens died from a series of wounds to her head and neck and also had a defensive wound to her right hand.

Likens was reported missing to Sharon police on June 25. Later that day, authorities said they were called to Shenango Lake in Clark Borough where dismembered human remains were found in the area. The coroner determined the remains belonged to Likens, who was killed by sharp force trauma to the head.

State police said their investigation found that Likens was in the area of Budd Street Public Park and the canoe launch near Budd Street on June 23 in the early morning hours. Likens appeared to be waiting for someone, police said.

Investigators said video surveillance located a vehicle in the area at the time and tracked it back to Riverwalk Apartments, then to Watkins. Police said Watkins was seen making several trips out of his apartment with multiple bags and garbage bags.

Watkins told police that he met the victim on the dating app Grindr but denied going to the canoe launch and said the victim never came back to his apartment.

After getting a search warrant for Watkins' apartment, police said they found blood as well as a receipt for a saw with exchangeable blades. One of those blades was missing, investigators said.

The violent killing rocked Sharon and Mercer County . In Likens' obituary, she was remembered as a selfless person who lit up the room and had a contagious laugh.

Stay with KDKA-TV and KDKA.com for updates to this developing story as they become available.