17-year-old charged with murder in paddleboarder's killing at a pond in rural Maine

CTV News

a day ago

Crawford Pond is seen Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Union, Maine. Police are investigating the murder of a woman last seen paddleboarding on the pond. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
PORTLAND, Maine — Authorities in Maine said Friday they have charged a 17-year-old with murder in the death of a paddleboarder who went missing on a rural pond.
The body of Sunshine Stewart, 48, of Tenants Harbor, was found this month on Crawford Pond in Union, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Portland. The killing shocked and scared the community, where trips to the pond and nearby campground are a summer staple.
Maine State Police said a teenager was taken into custody without incident in Union on Wednesday night. Police did not say initially why he was arrested or if he was charged, and they declined to release any other information about him as the investigation is ongoing.
The state attorney general's office said Friday that the teen was charged with one count of murder. The office did not identify the teen and did not immediately say when the person was due in court.
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined Stewart's cause of death was strangulation and blunt force trauma, police said.
Police said Thursday that the investigation was still active and they were seeking information from anyone who may have seen Stewart paddleboarding on July 2 on Crawford Pond.
Stewart lived about 21 miles (34 kilometers) from the pond, which is a popular summer destination about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the scenic coastal areas of the state's midcoast region. A person reached by phone who identified herself as Stewart's sister declined to comment.
Friends of Stewart have posted online testimonials remembering her as fiercely independent and always up for a challenge, including outdoor adventures and building projects. Over the years, she worked in many roles, including as a fisherman and bartender, friends said.
She renovated her home in Tenants Harbor, a neighborhood in St. George, said Bruce Twyon, a friend who knew Stewart from her time living in the Virgin Islands. That spoke to her self-motivation and spirit of 'getting things done and enjoying life every day,' he said.
'She was such a sweet person and very strong and independent, and took care of a lot of people,' Twyon said.
The pond, in the 2,400-resident town of Union, is about 600 acres (243 hectares) and does not have public access. It is available for a variety of uses, including boating and fishing. The 100 Acre Island preserve in the center of the pond is a wooded island reachable by canoe, kayak or paddleboard from a nearby campground.
The pond has numerous nooks and narrow areas, so it's possible there were other boaters on the water at the time of the killing who were unaware someone was in danger.
Police said in a statement the arrest was the 'result of relentless investigative work' and that the teen was taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.
Loved ones of Stewart -- who was known as 'Sunny' by her friends -- launched a GoFundMe page to help celebrate her life. The page said memorial service dates were being determined.
Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press