Mercer County, Pa. - The family of Pauly Likens, a transgender teenager who was murdered earlier this year in Sharon, are using this Transgender Day of Remembrance as an opportunity to point out holes in the laws that are meant to protect people like their daughter from hate crimes

Pauly Likens, 14, was a trans girl from Mercer County who was murdered and sexually assaulted on June 23, 2024.  The suspect of the crime was arrested and is set for trial in 2025.

Dashawn Depree Watkins was arrested and charged with her murder after it was found that he'd been communicating with Likens via social media shortly before her disappearance. At the time of his arrest, Watkins apartment had blood in several locations and a cutting saw he'd purchased the day of Likens' disappearance was missing a blade. 

Likens' mother, Jen McClure, spoke at a news conference in Pittsburgh Tuesday, where she delivered  a message to parents of LGBT+ individuals who are afraid of becoming victims of targeted harassment and attacks.

"Be supportive, be brave. Tell your story. The more people that speak up and speak together, the louder we become and the less we'll be ignored," McClure said.

Despite the nature of the crimes that took place against Likens, activists have expressed frustration,  saying the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Eric Olshan, has refused to speak on the case with Pauly's family and has shown little to no interest in opening an investigation into whether it was a hate crime or not.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a federal law that gives power to the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate hate crimes motivated by gender identity.

Pennsylvania does not currently have an LGBT+-inclusive hate crimes law.  A bill regarding hate crimes tailored to LGBT+ victims was passed in 2002, but was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2008.

?Another case highlighted at the news conference was that of Amariey Lei, 19,   a trans woman from Pittsburgh who was shot and killed in Wilkinsburg on January 1, 2022.  To this day Allegheny County Police have not produced any leads and no arrests have been made.

Executive Director and founder of TransYOUniting Dena Stanley spoke on what the police had allegedly said to the family of Amariey Lei.

"They have not caught the killer and actually told the family they need to do their own investigation," Stanley said.

Board Chair of Pennsylvania Youth Congress Jason Landau Goodman spoke about the violence against LGBT+ individuals and what must be done to protect them.

"When our trans children are dying, we're lucky to even get your attention.  Enough.  We need justice for those who have been lost.  We need protections for the living and the promise of a safe future for those yet to come," Goodman said

A candlelight vigil is being held at 505 E. Ohio St. in Pittsburgh to honor both victims on November 20 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.