Sharon man charged with 1st-degree murder in the killing, dismemberment of teen

A Sharon man has been charged with killing and dismembering a missing 14-year-old teen.

State police charged DaShawn Watkins, 29, of Sharon with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of Paul Likens Jr., who was initially reported missing on June 25, and was suspected of being missing since June 22.

Later the same day, Hermitage police were called to an area of Shenango Lake in Clark, where they found dismembered human remains. Over the course of the next week, additional dismembered remains were found in the area surrounding the lake.

The Mercer County Coroner’s Office has ruled Likens’ death the result of sharp force trauma to the head.

Information obtained from Likens’ cellphone shows the teen walked to the Budd Street Public Park and Canoe Launch around 3 a.m. June 23, police said. Multiple surveillance videos showed Likens, who appeared to be on a cellphone and waiting for someone, according to court records.

Several of those videos were used by police to identify a vehicle in the area where Likens was.

Video showed a man later identified as Watkins going in and out of Riverwalk Apartments. In one video, he is struggling to carry a large duffel bag, according to a criminal complaint.

On June 24, video showed Watkins making several trips out of his apartment carrying a series of duffel and garbage bags. A preliminary test showed blood at multiple locations in Watkins’ apartment, including under the bathroom flooring.

Watkins was held without bail after being charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, aggravated assault and tampering with evidence. A July 17 preliminary hearing is scheduled in District Judge Travis Martwinski’s courtroom in Sharon.