Transgender community calls for justice for murder of 14-year-old, Sharon School District to offer counseling to classmates

*This story contains graphic and disturbing details, reader discretion is advised*

The Sharon School District is offering counseling services for its students Monday following the brutal murder of their 14-year-old transgender classmate.

State police said Pauly Likens, who went missing on June 22, died of blunt force trauma.

The police report further states that her alleged murderer sawed her corpse into pieces and disposed of it, her remains were discovered by state police around the Shenango River Lake.

Dashawn Watkins, a 29-year-old from Sharon, has been arrested by state police and faces charges of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse, he is being held in Mercer County Prison.

The trans community is calling on investigators to review the evidence to determine whether this was a hate crime.

“This is a 14-year-old child that was a trans child that was murdered and they should be charged as such. Not only for the heinous crime but because this was a trans child, period point blank. There needs to be some justice here,” said Dena Stanley, founder, TransYOUniting PGH.

School counselors will be available at both Sharon Middle and High Schools Monday 9 a.m. to noon.

A vigil for Likens will take place on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Sharon.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.