Police arrest teen in connection with a paddleboarder's killing in a pond in rural Maine
PORTLAND, Maine — Police in Maine said Thursday they have arrested a 17-year-old state resident in connection with the killing 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 kilometres) north of Portland. The killing shocked and scared the community, where trips to the pond and nearby campground are a summertime staple.
Maine State Police said a teenager was taken into custody without incident in Union on Wednesday night. Police did not say 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 declined to comment about possible charges.
The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta determined Stewart's cause of death was strangulation and blunt force trauma, police said.
Police have asked for information from anyone who may have seen Stewart paddleboarding on July 2 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. near 100 Acre Island on Crawford Pond or who have any other information related to the case.
Stewart lived about 21 miles (34 kilometres) from the pond, which is a popular summer destination about 15 miles (24 kilometres) from the scenic coastal areas of the state's midcoast region.
The pond, in the 2,400-resident town of Union, is approximately 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 centre 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 asked residents to remain aware of their surroundings and report suspicious behavior.
Loved ones of Stewart, who was known as 'Sunny' to friends, launched a GoFundMe page in her honor that had raised more than $33,000 by Thursday to help celebrate her life. The page said memorial service dates were being determined.
Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press
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