A 17-year-old has been arrested within the alleged homicide of Sunshine Stewart, a paddleboarder who was discovered lifeless after being reported lacking in Maine earlier this month.
Stewart’s explanation for dying was strangulation and blunt drive trauma, Maine State Police revealed Thursday. The 48-year-old was discovered lifeless on July 3 at Crawford Pond in Union, a well-liked recreation spot close to the campground the place she was staying.
The suspect, who’s male, was arrested with out incident Wednesday night time, police mentioned. He’s from Maine and got here to the pond space to spend summer season trip time together with his household, in accordance with an official accustomed to the investigation.
The suspect, who has not been named by police, was transported to the Lengthy Creek Youth Growth Middle in South Portland, in accordance with Maine State Police.
The Workplace of the Chef Medical Examiner in Augusta decided the way of dying was a murder.
Crawford Pond in Union, Maine, July 9, 2025.
Robert F. Bukaty/AP
The situation of the physique when it was discovered indicated the dying was not a suicide or an unintentional drowning, officers mentioned.
The tragedy had left the residents of small, tight knit group scared.
Stewart rented a camp website at Mic Mac Household Campground for the summer season season on Might 1. She had solely stayed on the grounds for 2 or three nights previous to her disappearance on the night of July 2. The proprietor of the campground mentioned she has supplied hours of video to authorities in case it will possibly show helpful.
Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart was discovered lifeless after she went paddleboarding on a lake in Maine, and her dying has been dominated as a murder, officers mentioned.
Kim Ware
This can be a growing story. Please verify again for updates.
