A man has been arrested and charged with murder after the dismembered body of a 14-year-old Mercer County teenager was found following his disappearance last month.

DaShawn Watkins, 29, was charged with manslaughter in the death of Pauly Likens Jr. of Sharon, known to many as “Pauly.” Likens had been missing since June 22.

Likens' father said they celebrated her 15th birthday this Saturday.

Pennsylvania State Police in Mercer County said Wednesday that human remains were found in several remote locations around Shenango Lake on June 25. In the days that followed, more remains were found that showed signs of dismemberment.

The Mercer County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death to be severe trauma to the head.

State police used cellphone data, social media records and surveillance footage to determine that Likens walked to Budd Street Public Park and Canoe Launch around 3 a.m. on June 23.

According to police, Likens was apparently on the phone waiting to meet someone. There was a car that was undoubtedly Dashawn Watkins.

Police said they used surveillance footage to trace Watkins to the Riverwalk apartments. A search of his apartment found evidence linking Watkins to the murder.

State police did not provide any information about whether or how Watkins and Likens knew each other.

Watkins is being held in the Mercer County Jail.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family pay for the funeral.

Pamela Ladner, president of the LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley, spoke to Pittsburgh's Action News 4 Thursday night after learning of Likens' death. Ladner said she spoke with Likens' mother and received permission to share that Likens is a transgender woman and she believes Pauly's murder was a hate crime.

“I just want Pauly's family to know that we are all with them and thinking of them. And we just hope that we can provide them with comfort in any way we can,” Ladner said.

The LGBTQIA+ Alliance Shenango Valley will hold a candlelight vigil on July 13 at 7 p.m. at 87 Stambaugh Ave. in Sharon.

“We just wanted to do something as a community that we thought would be helpful and show them that their community has their back, that we care about them and that we just want to support them in any way we can,” Ladner said.

This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE app to stay up to date with the latest news.