Man charged in death of teen whose remains were found in park

SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) — The dismembered remains found in June at a wildlife park in Pennsylvania have been identified as those of a missing teen, and a man has been charged with homicide in connection to the case, according to Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).

DaShawn Watkins has been charged with criminal homicide in connection to the death of 14-year-old Paul Likens, Jr, according to PSP.

State Police said Wednesday that Sharon police took a report on June 25 for a missing 14-year-old who had not been seen since June 22. That same day, Hermitage officers were dispatched to an area of Shenango Lake in Clark Borough where dismembered remains were recovered. At that point, the case was turned over to Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).

Over the next week, more dismembered remains were recovered at various locations around the lake, according to PSP. The Mercer County Coroner confirmed that the remains were those of Likens.

The coroner ruled the cause of death as sharp force trauma to the head and the manner of death homicide.

Information from Likens’ phone, social media records and video surveillance indicated that the teen walked to the area of the Budd Street Public Park and Canoe Launch near Budd Street and State Route 62 in Sharon and stayed there for about 40 minutes on June 23. Then, made a phone call and waited to meet someone near the canoe launch, according to police.

Police say surveillance video identified a suspected vehicle and that same vehicle returned to Riverwalk Apartments and showed a man, later identified as DaShawn Watkins, struggling to carry a large duffel bag. On June 24, Watkins made several trips out of his apartment carrying multiple bags and garbage bags, police said.

“Positive preliminary tests for blood were discovered at multiple locations in Watkin’s apartment, including under the bathroom flooring,” police wrote in a news release.

Watkins was arrested Tuesday and charged with criminal homicide. He is being held in the Mercer County Jail without bond.

Watkins will be in court July 17.

No further details have been released at this time.

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