Family, friends honor murdered Mercer County teen on Transgender Day of Remembrance

PITTSBURGH — On the 26th Transgender Day of Remembrance, friends and family are remembering a Mercer County teen who was murdered in June.

“Pauly was a beautiful, brave 14-year-old whose only crime was wanting to be herself, to be happy with who she was and live her best life,” said Jen McClure, Pauly’s mother. “The hate has got to stop. Laws need to change.”

Pauly Likens was sexually assaulted and brutally murdered. The family of the transgender teenager believes she was targeted because of her sexuality. Pieces of her body washed ashore on the banks of the Shenango River Lake.

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“There has been at least 27 murders of transgender people in the US just in the past year,” said Jason Goodman, with the PA Youth Congress, an LGBTQ+ state advocacy group.

Goodman spoke at a press conference Thursday acknowledging the great work police and the DA have done in Pauly’s case, but saying more needs to be done. The organization would like to see the suspect charged with a hate crime, but in Pennsylvania, anti-transgender violence isn’t considered one.

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“We know from members of our local community in Mercer County that they alleged murderer was targeting trans women and femmes that day, to attack and kill,” said Goodman.

Some state lawmakers are urging the Senate to pass an Anti-Hate Crimes Bill that would include protection for gender and sexual orientation.

State Rep. Dan Frankel of Pittsburgh sponsored House Bill 1027, which would include protection for gender and sexual orientation.

Frankel tells Channel 11 he 100% plans to reintroduce it in the new session and will circulate a memo to begin getting cosponsors in December.

“Trans women continue to suffer as victims of violence, but Pennsylvania doesn’t even acknowledge that crimes motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias exist. Today, I am thinking of all the people who love and miss Amariey and Pauly, and I renew my promise to them that I will keep up the fight in Harrisburg to pass my bills to track, prevent and address hate crimes,” said Frankel.

Pauly’s mother encourages other families to speak up.

“Be supportive, be brave. Tell your story,” she said.

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